Jennifer Trayers

Parties

• Jennifer Trayers (defendant; wife of Navy Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Trayers III)
• Frederick Trayers III (victim; Navy Lt. Cmdr.; husband of Jennifer Trayers; staff at Naval Medical Center San Diego)
• Carol Trayers (victim’s mother; submitted a letter to the court read aloud at sentencing)
• Cathie Trayers Mislan (victim’s sister; wrote a letter read in court by a friend)
• Fiona Khalil (Deputy District Attorney)
• Joan Weber (San Diego Superior Court Judge)
• Kerry Armstrong (defence attorney for Jennifer Trayers)
• Bonnie Dumanis (Dist. Atty.; stated maximum sentence at the time referenced)
• Danielle Robbins (physician; described as the physician mistress of Frederick Trayers; prosecution witness)
• Deborah Smith (texted Jennifer Trayers at roughly 9 am on December 4, 2010)
• Gene Cubbison and Sarah Grieco (NBCsandiego.com authors, byline)
• R. Stickney and Paul Krueger (NBCsandiego.com authors, byline)
• Jeannette Rogers (News92fm.com author, byline)
• Bryan Lavietes (author, byline)
• Orvill Webb (co-worker at the timeshare company, mentioned in background)
• Danielle Merket (female psychologist, mentioned in background)
• Dr. Christina Stanley (forensic pathologist)
• Michael Sise, M.D. (vascular surgeon with Scripps Health)
• Ensign Danielle Robins (named in the background narrative; same person as Danielle Robbins/Robins in the narrative)

Timeline

• February 8, 2012 — The jury returned a verdict finding Jennifer Trayers guilty of second-degree murder.
• March 9, 2012 — Judge Joan Weber sentenced Jennifer Trayers to 16 years to life in prison.

Background

Jennifer Trayers was the wife of Navy Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Trayers III. The couple had been married for 18 years and had problems in their marriage that they had found a way to work through in the past. At sentencing, Judge Joan Weber said the killing illustrated “the irrevocable tragedy of domestic violence” and that violence could never be a solution to marital disputes. The narrative described a “love triangle” involving Danielle Robbins/Robins and Frederick Trayers III.

The background narrative described that Jennifer Trayers suspected her husband of an affair and installed tracking software on their home computer to see what her husband was up to. It also described that the husband and Danielle Robins communicated via emails and text messages, and that Jennifer amassed a collection of emails between Frederick Trayers and Danielle Robins. The narrative further described that Jennifer was romantically involved with Orvill Webb, a co-worker at a timeshare company, in early 2003, and that her husband was connected to Danielle Merket in the story.

The offence

Jennifer Trayers was convicted in connection with the death of Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Trayers III, who was killed in their North Park home. He was stabbed more than 10 times, including twice in his chest and eight times in his back. Prosecutors said Jennifer Trayers waited to stab her husband when he was in bed and groggy from taking a sleeping pill. Prosecutors also said she had collected evidence of the affair—emails and other electronic communications—for months.

The defence argued that Jennifer Trayers should have been convicted of manslaughter instead of murder, because she lost control during a heated confrontation while trying to talk to her about her husband’s affair with another woman.

In the trial and sentencing narrative, Jennifer Trayers testified that her husband died during a struggle over a knife that she intended to use on herself. She testified that she approached her husband in their bedroom of their North Park condominium with a knife on Dec. 4, 2010, and that she hoped to get him talking about his ongoing affair by cutting her wrist, then poking the knife in her chest. She testified that her husband said, “Let me help you.” She testified that during the struggle she stabbed him in the back of the neck, and that she “blacked out” after the first stab and was out of it for many hours later. Her testimony also described that her husband’s body was found with nine more stab wounds.

A medical narrative described that a forensic pathologist testified that Jennifer Trayers’ wounds could be compared to paper cuts, and that defence witnesses argued she never planned to kill her husband and was trying to kill herself. The narrative described that another expert testified that Jennifer Trayers’ wounds were superficial.

Investigation

Police responding to the scene found Frederick Trayers curled up in his bed and Jennifer Trayers lying nearby with apparently self-inflicted stab wounds. The condo was locked and there was no sign of forced entry, and police quickly determined that the Trayers were victim and perpetrator. Investigators found four manila envelopes stacked neatly on the kitchen counter containing printed e-mails and text messages between Frederick Trayers and Danielle Robins.

A coroner would later find the prescription sleep aid Zolpidem in Frederick Trayers’ blood. Toxicologists later said the amount of drugs in Jennifer Trayers’ system would have relaxed him, but would not have left him incapacitated.

Police also responded to the scene at “3750 Grim Avenue Apt. 2” at about 6:20 am on Monday, December 6, 2010, as described in the narrative. Frederick Trayers was described as dead, his body curled up on the floor next to the bed, still entangled in bedding, and he was stabbed about the neck and back with knife wounds perforating his heart, lung and kidneys. The narrative described defensive wounds on Frederick Trayers’ hands and forearms. It described blood saturation in the bedding and blood drops on the headboard and the wall above the bed.

The narrative described injuries to Jennifer Trayers including approximately 36 sharp force injuries to her chest area, a cut artery in her upper gastric area, and a partially-collapsed right lung, and that she was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital.

Arrest

Jennifer Trayers was arraigned in her hospital bed and held on $2 million bail.

Trial

The murder trial of Jennifer Trayers began on January 23, 2012 in downtown San Diego. Prosecutor Fiona Khalil laid out evidence including Jennifer Trayers’ final email to Robins which stated “I was the last person he was with” as proof that the killing was premeditated. Defence attorney Kerry Armstrong claimed Jennifer Trayers had been put through an “emotional roller coaster” by her philandering husband and that the killing was a spontaneous response born of Jennifer’s sleeplessness and anxiety, and that her conviction should have been voluntary manslaughter rather than murder.

The trial featured Danielle Robins describing the e-mails sent during her relationship with the deceased and denying she and Dr. Fred Trayers ever had sexual intercourse. Jennifer Trayers testified in her own defence over two days, losing control of her emotions while discussing her relationship with her husband.

During trial, Judge Joan Weber declined to dismiss a murder charge against Jennifer Trayers accused of stabbing her Navy doctor husband to death in his bed in December, 2010. Attorney Kerry Armstrong said there was insufficient evidence of “premeditation and deliberation” and that the killing was an act of “uncontrollable rage,” or manslaughter. The defence argued that Jennifer Trayers wrote at least one letter before she killed her husband, in which she revealed she knew he was having an affair and that the jury could find she planned to kill him. The prosecutor said there was evidence that Jennifer Trayers had “plenty of time” to plan the murder, and the judge ruled that the jury should decide on the murder charge.

The jury deliberated for three days.

Verbatim statements (trial testimony and quotes)

Jennifer Trayers testified:

• “Let me help you.”
• “I thought he was a geek.”
• “I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
• “I stabbed him in the back of the neck,”
• “I was just so angry and mad and I didn’t know what was going on, what was happening, why he was acting the way he was acting,”
• “I didn’t know what was going on, what was happening, why he was acting the way he was acting,”
• “What happened then?” asked defense attorney Kerry Armstrong.
• “I cannot forgive Jennifer for taking the life of my brother,” Cathie Trayers Mislan said in her letter.

The narrative included a reference to a prosecution witness stating:

• “I apologize for the presumptiveness in telling you all about the man to whom you are married... you have daily access to an amazing person... One day they will be gone and the only thing you will be left with is wondering why you didn’t appreciate what you had at the time. I guess the point of this stupid letter is to remind you how lucky you are and to ask that if you can't see that, you should let him go.”

The narrative included a quoted portion of Jennifer Trayers’ email titled “Mr. Wonderful”:

• “I was the last person he was with.”
• “I will have the joy of knowing I got to spend quality time with him. I got to travel with him. I got to sleep with him... I got to hear him say 'I love you' softly in my ear while he's hugging me.
• “You should feel guilty now! You just ruined the marriage of a wonderful man! The career of a wonderful man! The future of a wonderful man! Sincerely, Mrs. Wonderful”

The narrative included a quoted email and a quote from the physician mistress:

• “Every time we would talk and communicate I would just feel more connected,” Danielle Robbins said in court.
• “He said [he and his wife] had issues, and he was unhappy for a long time.”

Verdict

The jury found Jennifer Trayers guilty of second-degree murder. The jury decision reflected that they believed the killing was intentional but not premeditated. The jury found Jennifer Trayers not guilty of first-degree murder.

After the verdict, Jennifer Trayers’ attorney Kerry Armstrong told reporters:

• “She feels absolutely horrible about what happened to her husband...she still loves him.”

Sentencing

On March 9, 2012, Judge Joan Weber sentenced Jennifer Trayers to 16 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing her Navy doctor husband more than a year earlier.

Judge Joan Weber said:

• “You lost the man that you loved more than life itself,” and she spoke about “the irrevocable tragedy of domestic violence.” She told the defendant that violence could never be a solution to marital disputes.

Verbatim statements (sentencing letters and remarks)

Judge Joan Weber read aloud a letter submitted by the victim’s mother, Carol Trayers:

• “How can I just turn off the feelings that I’ve had all these years?”
• “I will grieve for both of them all of my life.”

Cathie Trayers Mislan wrote in a letter read in court by a friend:

• “I cannot forgive Jennifer for taking the life of my brother,”
• She wrote that her brother had dedicated his life to his country and to saving others, and that she would miss his laugh and his positive outlook on life.

Jennifer Trayers did not make a statement during the sentencing hearing.

Her lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, said:

• Trayers was “extremely remorseful” for what she had done.
• “I just think that people should be treated a little differently for their background and the reason that they kill,” he said.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Jennifer Trayers was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison on March 9, 2012 after being convicted of second-degree murder.

Other details

• The sentencing narrative described Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Trayers III as 41 at the time of the killing.
• The sentencing narrative described Jennifer Trayers as 43 at sentencing.
• The conviction was described as connected to the killing of her husband in their North Park home.
• A letter submitted to the court by the victim’s mother, Carol Trayers, was read aloud by Judge Joan Weber during sentencing.
• The victim’s sister, Cathie Trayers Mislan, wrote in a letter read in court by a friend.
• The prosecution argued first-degree murder; the defence sought manslaughter.
• The maximum sentence mentioned was 16 years to life when sentenced next month (as referenced in connection with Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis).
• A separate narrative stated Jennifer Trayers testified about cutting her wrist and poking the knife in her chest with the hope of talking to her husband about his ongoing affair.
• The narrative described that on the morning of December 4, 2010, Deborah Smith texted her daughter Jennifer Trayers at roughly 9 am and that Deborah Smith called later that morning; Smith recalled Jennifer sounded tired and groggy.
• The narrative described that on Saturday December 4, 2010, Jennifer Trayers used her husband’s Gmail account to send a long missive castigating Robins for her relationship with Fred, titled “Mr. Wonderful,” beginning:
  • “Dear Little Miss Grass is Not Greener on My Side”
• The narrative described that the knife used included a military “Ka-Bar” that Fred offered her, and that the defence described an “emotional roller coaster.”
• The narrative described that Frederick Trayers had been on the staff at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
• The narrative described that the alleged affair involved a “fellow Navy doctor.”
• The narrative described that Trayers required surgery and additional blood when she was brought to the hospital on the night of Dec. 6, 2010.
• The narrative described that a jury deliberated for three days and that deliberations preceded the February 8, 2012 verdict.
• The narrative described that Jennifer Trayers faced 26 years to life in prison if found guilty in first-degree murder, as referenced.