The family of a man who died earlier this year claims he was wrongfully convicted of killing his wife 30 years ago, and is offering a $250,000 reward for the arrest of a new suspect.
Effie Entezari was killed on May 1, 1989, in the parking lot of her apartment complex at 11614 N.E. 49th St., Vancouver, according to a news release from the Portland-based Markowitz Herbold law firm, which represents the family’s estate. Entezari’s husband, Mike Entezari, was arrested for her murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was released after 16 years for good behavior. He maintained his innocence for the remainder of his life, the family said.
Last week, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Clark County Superior Court against unknown co-defendants whom they believe are responsible for Effie Entezari’s death.
The Entezaris were separated at the time of the murder, and prosecutors pointed to divorce and money as motives for the crime, according to the lawsuit.
But the lawsuit claims that the death was tied to the 1979 coup in Iran.
“New evidence shows that Effie was killed to keep her from exposing an Iranian international criminal conspiracy — and that Mike was framed for murder,” the lawsuit reads. “The (prosecuting attorney’s office) ignored key evidence.”
After meeting in the U.S., the Entezaris returned to their home country of Iran in 1972, according to the lawsuit. They moved back to the U.S. in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution. After settling in the Pacific Northwest, the couple became U.S. citizens in 1983.
“Mike and Effie were a unique Iranian-American couple because, unlike most of their Iranian counterparts, they were U.S. citizens — not political refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. after the Islamic Revolution,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit claims that uniqueness would ultimately be harmful. It described several theories — including threats against Effie Entezari by other Middle Eastern men in the days before her death, personal information stolen from the couple and used after their death and incarceration, and “strong indications” that a criminal network worked to ensure that Mike Entezari’s release was blocked.
The suit alleges that the only eyewitness, a neighbor who lived near where Effie Entezari was killed, reported looking out of her window after hearing what sounded like a car backfire, according the lawsuit. The woman reportedly saw a small, yellow car back up quickly from several parking spaces away — past where Effie Entezari’s body would have lain. The car reportedly then got closer to where the body was found, slowed, and then raced off.
Mike Entezari didn’t own a yellow car, the lawsuit said.
Pooneh Gray, the Entezaris’ daughter, said she has been working to find out more about her mother’s death for decades. Now, as the representative of her mother’s estate, Gray, 51, of Vancouver, believes she has a chance to prove her father’s innocence.
“I never believed that my father committed the crime from day one,” Gray said. “The evidence wasn’t lining up.”
Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik said he doesn’t know much about the nearly 30-year-old case, which was prosecuted long before he joined the county. He said that the estate has reached out to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office about releasing evidence from the case.
Golik said the estate would need to file a motion in court to seek the release of the evidence.
“We have the same policy in all cases,” Golik said.
On Friday, the estate issued a subpoena to the sheriff’s office for DNA and ballistics testing of several pieces of evidence. In addition to the witnesses that they hope will come forward, Gray also hopes the tests — using new scientific techniques not available decades ago — will prove arguments made in the lawsuit. That evidence includes analysis of blood splatter and the .38-caliber handgun owned my Mike Entezari that authorities tied to the murder.
Anyone with information about the case can contact estate representatives at effieentezari@gmail.com or 360-210-7430. Tips can remain confidential, according to the release.
More information can be found at effieentezari.com or facebook.com/effieentezari.
If, eventually, her father is cleared of the crime and someone else is identified as the killer, it would be “the happiest day of my life,” Gray said. “My intention is to be able to get that information and be able to work in collaboration with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to go after the people who killed my mother.”
