• An ex-San Francisco attorney will die behind bars for his role in a grisly 2008 Palm Springs murder tied to a twisted real estate scheme. Prosecutors say the killers, including the now-disbarred lawyer, plotted for years to steal a retiree’s identity, home, and wealth—then tried to outrun justice for nearly two decades.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (TDR) — A disbarred San Francisco lawyer who helped orchestrate the chilling 2008 murder of a Palm Springs retiree was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole, capping a 16-year legal saga authorities called “unlike any other” in California.

David Replogle, 76, was convicted of conspiring with four other Bay Area men to murder 74-year-old Clifford Lambert and steal his home, possessions, and identity.

A Murder Fueled by Greed

Lambert, a retired art dealer, was killed in December 2008 inside his Palm Springs home. Prosecutors say Replogle and his co-conspirators lured Lambert into a trap with false promises of a romantic relationship and financial help.

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Instead, the group murdered him, forged documents, and took over his bank accounts and property.

“This was a premeditated, calculated plan to erase a man’s life and assume his assets,” said Riverside County Senior Deputy District Attorney Lisa DiMaria.

“The number of defendants and the resources spent prosecuting this case really rivals no other in state history.”

Lambert’s remains were not discovered until 2011, buried in the yard of one of the suspects’ family members.

Con Men, Deceit, and Delay

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Authorities say several of the men involved were seasoned con artists with long histories of fraud. Among them was Kaushal Niroula, dubbed the “Dark Prince,” who claimed to be Nepalese royalty and had a track record of elaborate scams, including swindling a Japanese woman out of $500,000.

Niroula, who was serving a life sentence, was murdered by his cellmate in 2021.

Another defendant, Craig McCarthy, avoided life imprisonment by turning on his co-defendants and testifying for the prosecution. He is eligible for parole next year.

Two more—Daniel Garcia and Miguel Bustamante—remain behind bars and are appealing their convictions.

A Case That Wouldn’t Die

The murder trial stretched for over a decade due to constant motions, appeals, and logistical delays. Prosecutors say the defendants deliberately dragged out the process.

Replogle insisted he acted under duress, but jurors found otherwise.

Do you think the justice system took too long to deliver closure in this case? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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