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April 11,2001:
"Marcos Ranjel is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."
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This story is culled from the defendant's own words, information given to the public defender, and the court records of the case.
Maas/Ranjel Case Timeline


  2000 - DA DECIDES NOT TO PURSUE DEATH PENALTY

Citing the request of Carmel Sanger's family and the need for a speedy trial, the San Francisco district attorney abandons his previous decision to seek capital punishment in the Ranjel case. 		 
  1/2001 - PUBLIC DEFENDER'S CASE WILL STRESS POLICE IRREGULARITIES

After an exhaustive three-year investigation with private investigator Gideon Unger and Public Defender Investigator Nigel Phillips, Will Maas decides on his defense strategy: try to convince the jury that Ranjel's confessions were coerced and therefore false. To do this, he will take the jury through what he considers the "foibles" of the homicide inspectors. In addition, Maas will try to discredit the eyewitnesses and point the finger at another possible suspect, Selina Archuleta. 		 
  3/12/2001 - MARCOS RANJEL'S TRIAL BEGINS

Opening statements by District Attorney Phil Kearney focus on who he calls a "successful, vibrant, beautiful and energetic business woman," hairdresser Carmel Sanger, a former addict who sponsored many recovering addicts and did not deserve to be murdered. The district attorney outlines what the prosecution believes to be the motives for Marcos Ranjel (money) and Robert Sanger (jealousy and his ex-wife's life insurance policy listing himself as the beneficiary). Public Defender Will Maas's opening statement simply asks the jury to weigh all the evidence carefully and honestly and calls into question the methods employed by the homicide detectives during Marcos Ranjel's confession. 		 
  3-4/2001 - EVIDENCE MOUNTS IN RANJEL TRIAL

Eyewitness Elizabeth Pfau, the hairdresser at The Pink Tarantula who made the 911 call at the murder scene, identifies Marcos Ranjel in court as the shooter. Will Maas tries to raise doubt about her ID of Ranjel. Selina Archuleta, transvestite and former lover of Robert Sanger, testifies that Sanger asked her to kill his ex-wife. Sarah Claxton, former heroin addict and self-proclaimed friend of Marcos Ranjel, says on the stand that he "plugged" Carmel Sanger. Inspector Joseph Toomey takes the stand and testifies about Ranjel's interrogation and confession. Amber Tyler, the prosecution's star witness, appears to have come to court under the influence of a controlled substance. The district attorney decides not to call her to the stand. 		 
  4/11/2001 RANJEL FOUND GUILTY

The jury deliberates for two and a half days before returning a verdict of guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of murder for hire. Judge Kevin Ryan sentences Marcos Ranjel to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 		 
  AFTERMATH: SANGER AND RANJEL SERVE TIME

Robert Sanger pled guilty to hiring Marcos Ranjel to kill his ex-wife. His sentence: 12 years in prison. District Attorney Phil Kearney took three things into account when offering the deal: an important witness, Sanger's second wife Tiffany Wallace, had died of a heroin overdose; the family of Carmel Sanger wanted her ex-husband to serve time, rather than face the possibility of his being acquitted by a jury; and finally Sanger's age (58) meant that he would not get out of prison until he was 70 years old. Marcos Ranjel will live the rest of his life behind bars. 		 
 
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