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WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County jury, after deliberating for just a half hour on Friday, found Dana Ganjeh responsible for the death of Linda Frick more than three years ago.
The jury’s verdict — they found Ganjeh guilty of first-degree murder — came after three days of testimony before Judge David W. Lupas.
Ganjeh, 42, will be sentenced Dec. 15, at 9:30 a.m. before Lupas.
“Obviously we are happy with the verdict,” said Deputy Assistant District Attorney Thomas Hogans. “There’s finally justice for Linda Frick and her family. This was a very difficult case for everybody involved, with the history of domestic violence and just how brutal the murder was in this case. It was the right and just verdict.”
Ganjeh’s attorney, Demetrius Fannick, said his client was obviously disappointed with the verdict.
“The jury was engaged during the entire trial and we respect their verdict. And Mr. Ganjeh will obviously be appealing.”
As Ganjeh was led out of the courthouse by sheriff’s deputies, he remained silent, choosing to ignore reporters’ questions seeking his reaction to the verdict. He was returned to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility until he is sentenced.
Amy Morris, a friend of the victim, would only say, “We are glad it’s over. He got what he deserves.”
Background
Hogans and Assistant District Attorney Daniel Marsh said Ganjeh fatally assaulted Frick inside her brother’s home on Huckleberry Lane in Lehigh Township, Wayne County, before driving back to his Kingston apartment where her body was found Aug. 4, 2018.
Hogans and Marsh relied heavily on the couple’s prior domestic issues, including an April 2018 Wayne County domestic incident, to establish their case against Ganjeh who they said was a violent and abusive boyfriend.
During his closing argument to the jury, Hogans saved his best for last.
Hogans said Frick was trying to distance herself from Ganjeh after he assaulted her inside a house trailer near Gouldsboro, Wayne County, on April 23, 2018. Ganjeh was jailed at the Wayne County Correctional Facility where he pleaded with his brother, Danesh Ganjeh, to pay off Frick to have her not testify against him.
Frick did testify against Ganjeh in the Wayne County case on May 22, 2018.
Several weeks after Ganjeh was released from the Wayne County jail, Hogans said Ganjeh on Aug. 3, 2018, began sending Frick text messages wanting to meet. Frick was staying at her brother’s house in Wayne County at the time.
Hogans said Ganjeh arrived at the brother’s house “uninvited.”
“He abused her; he broke in and beat her,” Hogans said during his closing argument to the jury. “You don’t come to court and say you’re the victim. This was a manufactured defense.”
Fannick told jurors Frick died, “in a heat of passion,” and Ganjeh did not plan or intend to kill her.
Fannick reminded jurors that Frick did not have a broken nose nor any teeth were knocked out. Fannick said Ganjeh defended himself when Frick charged at him with a pocket knife during an argument about a text message Frick received from another man.
Fannick said the pocket knife was found in the glove box of Ganjeh’s vehicle about three weeks before trial began, despite the vehicle being thoroughly searched by investigators.
“You have to believe they got caught with their pants down,” Fannick said about the “incompetence” of investigators not opening and searching the glove box.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross testified Frick suffered 17 broken ribs in which eight ribs were broken in more than one place, and also suffered severe bruises on her head, chest and right ankle.
Ross said Frick was struck, “multiple, many many times,” estimating the number to be a couple dozen times she was struck. Ross further said he believed the injuries inflicted upon Frick were caused by “stomping and kicking.”
“How many times do you hit someone in the face and not knock out a tooth?” Fannick asked jurors during his closing argument.
Hogans called the defense strategy, “smoke and mirrors.”
“The evidence in this case clearly shows the defendant intended to kill Ms. Frick,” Hogans said. “If you believe he wasn’t invited to that house, his entire defense fails.”