Chilling Account of Doctor's Savage Slaying

A chilling account of a love triangle that ended in the murder of a Navy doctor was laid out in San Diego Superior Court on Friday. The defendant is the doctor's wife, who at times was overcome by emotion.

Prosecutors say Dr. Frederick Trayers, an emergency room physician at Naval Medical Center San Diego, was planning to leave his wife, Jennifer Trayers, for a woman he met last August.

On Dec. 4, Jennifer Trayers wrote an 8-page email to the other woman, listing his various faults and attributes.

"She also very clearly indicated at the end of the email that the woman who had been having a relationship with Dr. Trayers would not have the opportunity of any future relationship with him and the defendant, Jennifer Trayers, would be the last person Dr. Trayers would ever be with," said Deputy District Attorney Fiona Khalil.

Within hours, Fred Trayers was repeatedly stabbed and slashed to death in the bedroom of the couple's North Park condo, according to prosecutors. They say he tried to fight off the attack while waking up from a sedative-induced sleep.

On Dec. 6, police broke in after he missed work at the hospital.

Jennifer was found nearby with what were determined to be superficial, self-inflicted cuts.

Stacked on the kitchen counter of the condo were envelopes, telephone bills, parking receipts and photographs -- possible indications that Jennifer had confronted her husband over the affair.

One of Dr. Trayer's colleagues testified she noticed a change in his mood in September, while they were planning an annual party for the hospital's physicians.

"He indicated that there were some marital problems with him and Jen and that he couldn't be as involved this year, because he was needing to work on that situation," said Mona Colianno, M.D., USN from the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Prosecutors say the 'other woman' will not be called to testify in the pretrial hearing, which resumes on Tuesday.

If convicted, Jennifer Trayers faces 26 years to life in prison.

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