A murder trial is underway for a woman accused of deliberately driving off a cliff in Hawaii and killing her identical twin sister.
Alexandria Duval, 39, is charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty to killing her twin Anastasia in 2016.
Her defense attorney said on Monday as the murder trial began that the crash was a tragic accident.
Authorities have described the crash as a hair-pulling fight over the steering wheel.
Alexandria Duval and her defense attorney Birney Bervar listen to testimony for her murder trial on Monday in Hawaii. She has pleaded not guilty to killing her twin Anastasia in 2016
The sisters, who were 38 at the time, were seen arguing on the narrow, winding Hana Highway on the island of Maui before their SUV plunged 200 feet over a cliff.
Anastasia was in the passenger seat and was killed, but her sister Alexandria survived the crash and was arrested.
Autopsy results allegedly showed that ‘long, loose blond hairs’ were found on both of Anastasia Duval’s hands.
A judge later ordered Alexandria released after finding no probable cause for a murder charge.
She traveled to upstate New York and was arrested again months later in Albany after a grand jury indicted her.
Alexandria (right) is charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty to killing her twin Anastasia (left) in 2016
Alexandria and Anastasia Duval were seen arguing on the narrow, winding Hana Highway on the island of Maui before their SUV plunged 200 feet over a cliff in 2016
Alexandria, pictured in court in 2016, has opted to have a judge instead of a jury decide the murder case
Alexandria has opted to have a judge instead of a jury decide the case.
The judge is expected to reach a verdict this week.
Maui resident Chad Smith testified that while the women were passing him on the highway he could see them arguing.
Smith, who was headed to a church, said he couldn’t hear anything but the women looked angry. He said he had to swerve out of their way.
The sisters, born Alison and Ann Dadow in Utica, New York operated popular yoga studios in Florida before they changed their names.
They moved to Hawaii in 2015 from Utah.
Duval isn’t expected to testify, her attorney said.
The sisters, born Alison and Ann Dadow in Utica, New York operated popular yoga studios in Florida before they changed their names and moved to Hawaii in 2015
Anastasia’s ex-lover Keith Weiss spoke out after her death saying the two sisters had fights all the time.
Weiss, a trained chef from Florida, told People that he was in a six-month romance with Anastasia a decade ago.
He said that his ex-girlfriend and her sister had a toxic relationship.
‘There was just so much drama. I remember this one time, the three of us were at the mall, and Anastasia smacked Alexandria in the back of the head. They raged,’ Weiss said.
He said the pair went back and forth ‘pulling hair, pinching each other’.