Lawyer, Former Bar President Killed In 2006 Led Double Life

New details of a murdered Southland lawyer are coming out as the man accused in the lawyer’s death will soon stand trial.

In 2006, Garvin Shallenberger, 85, was found strangled to death inside his Palm Desert home.

The retired family man and former president of the California Bar Association reportedly led a double life.

Shallenberger lived in Laguna Beach during the week and in a Palm Desert residence during the weekend.

It was in the valley that he allegedly picked up and paid transients for sex.

Investigators say on September 30, 2006, Shallenberger picked up 48-year-old transient Michael Annunciation and took him home.

Later that night, investigators say, a neighbor and Shellenberger’s houseboyfound him strangled to death.

“He was lying face down between the couch and the coffee table,” Deb Hobart describes finding her neighbor.

Now nearly two years since Shallenberger’s death, Annunciation is going to trial.

The lawyer for Annunciation says Shallenberger has a deep history in picking up transients. He says Annunciation and Shallenberger met more than once.

“It’s a long, long history of predatory practices,” defense lawyer David Prendegrast said of Shallenberger. “It’s shameful.”

The neighbor who found Shallenberger knew that he did indeed live a double life.

The prosecutor in the case, who did not speak on camera, said in the previous police statement that Annunciation confessed to choking Shallenberger “until he turned blue.”

But Prendegrest believes Annunciation was coerced.

“It misstates what occurred and it will come out at the time of the trial,” Prendegrest said.

He also says his client left shallenberger alive and had nothing to do with his death.

A trial date has not been set yet.