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Uploaded: Friday, November 6, 2009, 4:49 PM
Updated: Monday, November 9, 2009, 9:10 AM
Police: Schipsi was strangled before fire
Arson, homicide suspect Bulos Zumot set to enter plea on Nov. 24
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by Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Online Staff
Jennifer Schipsi, the 29-year old Palo Alto woman whose remains were found in a burned house on Addison Avenue on Oct. 15, was strangled to death before the cottage she was sharing with her boyfriend was intentionally set on fire, a newly unsealed arrest affidavit alleges.
Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Douglas K. Southard agreed to make the affidavit public upon request from the attorney representing Bulos "Paul" Zumot, Schipsi's boyfriend and suspect in her death.
Zumot was scheduled to enter a plea Friday afternoon, but the plea was deferred until Nov. 24 to give his attorney and an independent investigator a chance to review the police files.
Police arrested Zumot on Oct. 19 on charges of arson and homicide. According to the police report, fire responders who arrived at the Addison Avenue fire Oct. 15 became concerned that the fire appeared to be intentionally set.
The next day, an accelerant-sniffing dog found evidence of an accelerant in three locations within the house and on the victim, who was later confirmed to be Schipsi.
The dog later smelled each item of clothing that Zumot was wearing on Oct. 15, according to the affidavit signed by Palo Alto Police Detective Aaron Sunseri. The dog "alerted" on both of Zumot's shoes, both of his socks, his pants and his sweatshirt but did not alert on Zumot's undershirt and underwear.
The Santa Clara County medical examiner, meanwhile, determined that Schipsi's hyoid bone was crushed, suggesting that she was strangled to death.
The evidence prompted the police to arrest Zumot, who according to the affidavit was the last person to see Schipsi alive. Zumot told police that he last saw Schipsi lying in bed during the afternoon of Oct. 15 and that he and Schipsi were in an argument both the night before and the day of the fire.
"Based on all of these facts cited in this affidavit, I believed that Bulos Zumot killed Jennifer Schipsi by strangling her and then set the house on fire in order to cover up the homicide," Sunseri wrote.
Zumot, 36, was calm and composed during his hearing Friday afternoon, occasionally glancing and nodding toward the roughly 20 friends and family members who came to support him at the Palo Alto Courthouse. Meanwhile, more than 30 people turned out to back Schipsi's family, many of them wearing purple ribbons signifying their support for victims of domestic violence.
Schipsi's mother, Jamie Schipsi, attended the hearing and took exception to what she perceived to be silent communication between Zumot and a woman in the audience. She asked a court bailiff to escort the woman out of the courtroom just before the hearing began.
The woman was warned not to communicate with the suspect.
Zumot's attorney, Cameron Bowman, said the defense has hired its own investigator to look into the events of Oct. 15. Bowman argued in court Friday that the judge's previous order to keep the probable-cause affidavit sealed makes it impossible for the defense to complete its own investigation and advise Zumot.
Deputy District Attorney Chuck Gillingham said the prosecution has no objection to the probable-cause documents being made public.
"We're at a point where we think this information can be unsealed," Gillingham said.
Southard agreed and ordered his previous order rescinded. Southard also supported Bowman's request to allow the private investigator to visit Zumot in jail without an attorney present.
According to court documents, Schipsi and Zumot had been dating since October 2007. Schipsi, a real estate agent at Alain Pinel Realtors in Palo Alto, applied for a restraining order against Zumot in February 2008, citing signs of "extreme anger and controlling characteristics" in Zumot.
Schipsi and Zumot broke up last year, after which time he allegedly flooded her with hundreds of messages and e-mails that she said went "from one extreme to another" and made her feel unsafe. She also wrote that she stayed at her friend's house to avoid seeing Zumot.
But despite her earlier fears and misgivings, Schipsi got back together with Zumot in October 2008. According to the newly unsealed police report, the threats didn't stop. On Aug. 25, Schipsi requested an emergency protective order after Zumot threatened her.
In September, Schipsi moved out of her apartment on Santana Row in San Jose and moved into the Addison Avenue house with Zumot, who owns Da Hookah Spot on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto.
The affidavit states that Zumot arrived at the scene of the fire from work and was located by police about a block away from the fire. He then voluntarily came to the Palo Alto Police Department to provide a statement.
Zumot is scheduled to enter his plea at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 at the North County Courthouse in Palo Alto.
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Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Nov 6, 2009 at 5:42 pm Heartbreaking, terrifying, disturbing. Ms. Schipsi's short life, ending so tragically, is devastating. I am sick of the violence towards women. I am so deepyl sorry for her loved ones who miss her, for what she went through and now what her loved ones have to go through with the prosecution of this case.
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Posted by Joe, a resident of Stanford, on Nov 6, 2009 at 6:26 pm Tragic! My thoughts go out to the victim’s family.
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Posted by tanya, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Nov 6, 2009 at 7:52 pm Who picked the photo?
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Posted by YSK, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 6, 2009 at 8:45 pm Disgusted. So damn sick of violence against women.
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Posted by YSK, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 6, 2009 at 8:46 pm Beautiful woman, but is she blowing SMOKE out of her mouth in that photo? A bit inappropriate, don't you think???
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Posted by Jane, a member of the Jordan Middle School community, on Nov 6, 2009 at 8:51 pm Yeah, there is a face shot that they should have used. She is still obviously gorgeous in the smoking photo, but not a good choice with this article.
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Posted by what evidence, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Nov 6, 2009 at 8:59 pm The evidence they are using so far is called junk science.
Dogs sniffed his clothes? Where are we in Tajikistan in the 1800s?
Palo Alto online news are more like tabloids than real news really.
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Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Nov 6, 2009 at 9:06 pm Since her partner owned a hookah place, they used this photo that was taken right before her death. It's from an article in SF Gate on hookah places and in the original photo, she's sitting next to him.
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Posted by Palo Parent, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Nov 6, 2009 at 9:29 pm Unbelievable, couple of clicks and here's the original photo before "he" was cropped out: Web Link
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Posted by wow, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 2:08 am It is obvious she couldnt leave him, for any reason she didnt deserve that fate...
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Posted by And your reasoning is...?, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 4:28 am I've seen the "uncropped" photo in print publications before this was published online. To "Palo Parent" - why is it "unbelievable" that an article focusing mainly on the victim would use a cropped version of the photo eliminating the alleged murder suspect? It may be a more recent photo that perhaps "better to use" photos of the victim, but when one is attempting to put up on online news story in a timely manner, sometimes an online journalist does not have sufficient time in a busy schedule to peruse all available (easily or not) photos of the subject, and select the "best one" to accompany the article...
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Posted by ed, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 7:23 am Realtor...not reator and use a more respectful photo...remember she is a victim.
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Posted by John, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 8:50 am Women: don't date men who hit you. You can't change him and he will never stop hitting you.
No man is worth your self-esteem or your life.
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Posted by Sarah, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 9:22 am Much more respectful photos of the victim on the Mercury-News web site: Web Link
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Posted by Stop the Violence, a resident of another community, on Nov 7, 2009 at 9:47 am Men who hit women are cowards who never change.
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Posted by Grieving family, a resident of another community, on Nov 7, 2009 at 11:22 am Jennifer Schipsi was the victim of a horrible crime. Palo Alto Online could have use a more appropriate picture of Jennifer in this article. Please show more sensativity to the innocent victim and her family. There are many pictures of Jenny readily available, why did you pick this photo?
Maybe you could include a unfalttering picture of the monster that is accused of this horrible crime.
Your bias is obvious!
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Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 1:13 pm Just reminding everyone that this is not the first time domestic violence has been a headline in Palo Alto this year. The first suicide on Caltrain this year was a 29 year old woman between Charleston and San Antonio and the story was that she was also a victim of domestic violence and felt that this was her only way out.
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Posted by Stop The Violence, a resident of another community, on Nov 7, 2009 at 1:23 pm [Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Dawn, a resident of the St. Claire Gardens neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 1:46 pm I don't see anything wrong with the picture.
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Posted by Irene, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 1:50 pm She looks amazing in any picture. May she rest in peace.
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Posted by Tom, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 2:17 pm [Post removed due to same poster using multiple names]
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Posted by Brian Johns, a resident of the Embarcadero Oaks/Leland neighborhood, on Nov 7, 2009 at 4:25 pm [Post removed due to same poster using multiple names]
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Posted by D_fense, a resident of another community, on Nov 7, 2009 at 6:35 pm I am so confused about so many things that surround this tragedy. While my prayers of comfort and peace go out to the family, I am completely perplexed as to what glitch or malfunction did Jennifer have that would have her living with the same creep that stalked her, threatend her, beat her, and made her life a terror before he finally took it from her. I know Jennifer had a few insecurities about her looks which is also unbelievable to me because she was one of Gods more incredible works of art. She was kind and had a good sense of humor, a strong drive for perfection and very humble. In fact she was so beautiful that it must have been a burden for the poor woman. I know this is not her fault but someone answer me please and set me free.. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Justice for Jenny, a resident of another community, on Nov 8, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Justice for Jenny is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online I would like to thank Mr. Jay Thorwaldson, Editor,
Palo Alto Weekly, for removing the picture of jennifer that originaly accompanied this article.
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Posted by Ladrome, a resident of Menlo Park, on Nov 9, 2009 at 11:13 am
Ladrome is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online I am also thankful the photo was removed. I wish Jamie Schipsi and her family much strength for the trial, and hope that our justice system works here for a change. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Nov 9, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Hmmm is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online I sort of wish the smoking photo was left up because if she did indeed smoke, it was an honest portrayal of her. She doesn't need to be presented as perfect; I'd rather know who the real woman was rather than the pretend image that often gets protrayed after someone's death. Whether a smoker or not, she sounds like a lovely person who made a difference to many people.
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Posted by beenthere, a resident of another community, on Nov 14, 2009 at 8:03 pm
beenthere is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online I just read about this story and sad to say I was not surprised to read about the alleged involvement of those two brothers. Could it be that there past has finally caught up with them? well see
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