Robert Reagan, the former boyfriend of celebrity television attorney Loredana Nesci, was found guilty on Friday of second-degree murder in the stabbing to death of Nesci.
Reagan, 51, and Nesci, 47, lived together and had a child.
Reagan, who lives in Redondo Beach, Calif., was arrested on July 22, 2015, after he called the police to report Nesci’s death. According to Reagan’s lawyer, Shepard Kopp, the couple had reportedly been in an argument when Nesci, who Kopp described as an “exceptionally strong” body builder, pulled a hunting knife on Reagan. Kopp argued that Reagan’s actions were simply self-defense.
“While defending himself against her assault with a deadly weapon, [Reagan] tried to disarm her, and in the intense struggle that ensued she tragically suffered a fatal wound,” Kopp said. “While [Reagan] is not guilty of committing any criminal offense, he is devastated by this horrible event.”
Nesci, a former officer in the Los Angeles Police Department, became an attorney, hosted her own legal radio show, and was the star of Sundance TV’s reality show “Loredana, Esq.”
Known as the “legal diva,” Nesci’s show ran for six episodes in 2014. “Loredana, Esq.” showcased aspects of Nesci’s personal life, featuring footage of the couple renovating their house and consistently arguing over mounting bills and childcare expenses.
Reagan faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison.
