Alleges that her brother orchestrated fatal robbery.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: A prostitute named Katrina Fritz testified last week that it was her brother who was responsible for killing California venture capitalist Raveesh “Ravi†Kumra in 2012, adding more layers to the increasingly sordid tale of Kumra’s life that has emerged in the wake of his slaying.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Fritz testified on May 8 that her brother, DeAngelo Austin, wanted to rob Kumra at his massive 7,000-square foot residence in Monte Sereno. Fritz, one of several women with whom Kumra had allegedly been having an affair, knew the location and layout of Kumra’s house, and was able to assist in that regard.
Austin and two other men, Marcellos “Blade†Drummer and Javier Garcia, carried out the robbery, which led to Kumra’s death. Kumra, who was 66 at the time of the robbery, was attacked and killed during the robbery that night, dying of suffocation after being violently bound and gagged, with his mouth duct taped close.
His wife, Harinder, was also attacked and was left with non-life threatening injuries as a result. The couple had reportedly been on the rocks for several years leading up to Kumra’s death.
Fritz testified against her brother, saying that Austin called her up on the morning of the attack to ask if she knew about Kumra’s whereabouts, saying he planned to rob the house. Fritz said that she gave him the information he needed, and regretted it afterward, but warned her brother not to be too rough because Kumra was elderly.
The testimony could ultimately lead to a reduced sentence for Fritz, who could be looking at a maximum of 17 years behind bars if she is convicted on mitigated charges of robbery, false imprisonment, and gang enhancements. Her current charge, which is special circumstances murder, could land in her prison for the rest of her life.
Kumra was a native of Kartharpur, India. He immigrated to the US in 1970, and had a lucrative career as a venture capitalist with Tesla Capital. He also served as the president of Western Cellular Management, and briefly owned a winery in Saratoga during the 1990s. He is survived by his two daughters, Raina and Anisha.