'Hillsborough heiress' Tiffany Li describes the night Keith Green was murdered (2023)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KRON)-Two years have passed since "Hillsborough heiress" Tiffany Li walked out of a San Mateo County courthouse a free woman after a jury found her not guilty in the murder of her ex-boyfriend, Keith. Green.

Li moved to China with her two daughters and may never be prosecuted in criminal court again.

But soon it will return to a Bay Area courthouse for a civil trial.

Green's mother is suing Li and his co-defendant, Kaveh Bayat, for manslaughter. Li, 36, comes from a wealthy Chinese real estate family worth $100 million.

The civil trial is scheduled to begin on January 31, 2022 at the San Mateo Superior Court in South San Francisco.

Li had to give a statement this year, which was peppered with questions from the plaintiff's lawyers. She first revealed her version of her story about what happened the night Green went missing in Millbrae.

New information that emerged from the statement included:

• Li hired a private investigator to spy on Green after they broke up.
• Li wrote an apology letter to the victim while he was in prison, saying that he should have listened to him when he warned him about Bayat.
• Li has never spoken to Bayat since the day they were arrested by a SWAT team at their Hillsborough mansion.
• Bayat has a strange tattoo on his torso of Li's face and a panda bear holding weapons.

Li's criminal trial had one of the most shocking verdicts in San Mateo County history.

To this day, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe says he has no doubt that Li and Bayat were the real killers. But his prosecutors simply did not have enough evidence to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Green's mother, Colleen Cudd, said: "She orchestrated all of this. She's mean.

Two jurors told KRON4 that they were sorry about the verdict.

"I think there are two murderers out there today and it looks like we didn't do our job well enough," said a teary-eyed juror during an interview in 2019.

The same jury that found Li not guilty deadlocked Bayat's verdict, 6-6, thus declaring a mistrial for him.

Li's ex-boyfriend could be retried for murder, but Wagstaffe said he will not try Bayat again unless new concrete evidence comes to light.

“The case is not closed because when it comes to homicide it is never closed. But it's fair to say it's inactive," Wagstaffe told KRON4 in a recent interview.

Cudd is also suing Olivier Adella, Bayat's bodyguard who admitted to dumping Green's body in a remote field north of San Francisco. Adella's real name is Mustafa Traore, but he was referred to by his pseudonym at the criminal trial and in new legal documents.

Tiffany Li tells her side of the story

Li was the last person to see Green alive.

During his testimony, he said he still doesn't know who murdered Green.

Green was murdered on April 28, 2016. A coroner testified that the autopsy showed that someone shoved a gun into Green's mouth and pulled the trigger. The 27-year-old's body was found in the field weeks later.

Six months before the murder, Li kicked Green out of his mansion and broke up with him. Bayat has moved into the mansion as her new boyfriend.

Prosecutors said Li gave Bayat a "green light" to kill the father of her children.

Green and Li were in a custody battle over their two young daughters, and according to prosecutors, Li was becoming increasingly angry with Green asking him for money.

They met the night of April 28 in the parking lot of the Millbrae Pancake House to discuss split custody of their children. According to Li, they talked inside her Mercedes G-Wagon, Green telling her that he still loved her.

I don't remember the exact words. She simply said that she still loves me and that she wants to be with me again and be like a complete family again with the children," Li said in her statement.

Prosecutors said Adella was hiding in a car parked nearby because she was ordered by Bayat to spy on Li's meeting with Green.

Li said he dropped Green off in the parking lot of the pancake house and drove off.

Prosecutors said Li did not leave Green in the parking lot. Instead, according to prosecutors, she lured him back to her Hillsborough mansion to be shot by Bayat, and his body was taken to the Adella apartment building at 1800 Trousdale Dr.

Li's family owned several apartments in the Trousdale building, and his alibi for going there that night was because he needed to pay a tenant's rent.

Adella said that Li and Bayat had already tried to hire him as an assassin. She said she refused, but agreed to dump Green's body in a remote field north of San Francisco.

When homicide detectives arrived at Li's mansion on April 29, they found Li at home having dinner with Bayat, Adella and Adella's wife.

Bodyguard: Li will lose in civil court

Like Li, Adella also had to testify this year before the civil trial. Adella is a 6 foot 5 inch tall mixed martial artist. She immigrated illegally from the Ivory Coast after fighting in civil wars in Africa.

Adella told Li's civil lawyer: “I'm not afraid of you. I've been through much worse than this place. Please believe me, I've been through hell, so talking to a guy like you won't scare me. Treat me with respect.

He had some heated words to say about being "the scapegoat." Adella told Li's lawyer that she "can't wait" to testify in the civil trial.

This time, Li will lose, he said.

“See you at trial, my friend. His client... won the murder trial, right, because the district attorney... was extremely negligent, extremely incompetent with the sheriff. But the civil trial? Come on, man, she's not going to get over this. She killed the father of her two children,” Adella said.

Adella said she believed Li should pay the victim's mother out of "common decency."

“Just pay these people, this poor lady, money. My God. She killed the father of her two children and you're here fighting for it? What kind of nonsense is this?" she told Li's lawyer.

During Li and Bayat's criminal murder trial, their defense attorneys told the jury that Adella killed Green.

Adella pleaded not guilty to accessory to murder after the fact, served three years in prison and now lives in the North Bay Area.

Letter of apology from Li to Green

Li's testimony revealed that she wrote an apology letter to Green while incarcerated in the San Mateo County Jail.

The jury at his murder trial never found out about the letter because it was never presented as evidence.

In a letter dated July 18, 2016, Li wrote to Green: “I wish I had never dated Kaveh and heard from you about him. Very sorry. I didn't know when we'd finally get a chance to talk, it would be the last time I'd see you. I was very sad when I entered here, because why me? But I chose to date Kaveh and bring bad people around me. · I'm always as stupid as you always told me before.

Defense attorney John May told KRON4 in 2019 that Bayat is innocent.

Bayat could be tried "100 times for this crime, and he would still be innocent," May said.

Lawyers who questioned Li about the statement accused her of manipulating Green and Bayat at the same time and pitting the former friends against each other.

A lawyer asked Li, “Ms. Li, isn't it true that you manipulated Kaveh Bayat into thinking that Keith Green was a dangerous person? And isn't it true that you manipulated Kaveh into making Keith a threat to her family? And isn't it true that you manipulated Kaveh Bayat into thinking that Keith was a threat to your relationship? Isn't it true that things got out of hand and Kaveh Bayat decided to cut Keith Green out of her life?

Li denied the accusations.

Green's family feels that the criminal justice system will never deliver justice.

Revealing Q&A from Li's testimony:

• Bayat has a strange tattoo on his torso of Li's face and a panda holding weapons.:

Lawyer: "Did Kaveh Bayat tattoo his face on his stomach?"

Li: "Try."

Lawyer: “And in the middle of his stomach, there's a panda holding two guns. Correct?"

Li: "Try."

Lawyer: "Remember when Kaveh got that tattoo?"

Li: "It was a trip to Las Vegas."

• Li has never spoken to Bayat since the day they were arrested by a SWAT team:

Lawyer: "When did you and Kaveh break up?"

Li: "I don't know why I was arrested."

Lawyer: “Okay. Did you talk to Kaveh after he was arrested?

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "So the day you were arrested was the last time you spoke to Kaveh Bayat?"

Lee: "Right."

Lawyer: "Did you not communicate with him after that date?"

Him: "No."

Lawyer: “Okay. Did you talk to him after the criminal trial was over?

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "Do you know where he is now?"

Him: "No."

• Li tells his side of the story about what happened the night Green disappeared from Millbrae.

Lawyer: "You told Kaveh you were meeting Keith that night, right?"

Li: "Try."

Lawyer: "What happened when you got to the Millbrae Pancake House?"

Li: “I think I called Keith to let him know I'm here. Keith got in my car and we talked.

Lawyer: "Did you have his cell phone?"

Li: "I don't remember."

Lawyer: “What did you talk about?”

Li: “He said he wanted to move to Ohio. And we talked about it, I didn't think it was a good idea, but if he decided to do it, then fine."

Lawyer: “What (else) did he say?”

Li: “I don't remember the exact words. She just said that she still loves me and said that she wants to come back to me and be a whole family again with the kids.

Lawyer: "What did you say in response to that?"

Li: "I think I told him, at the time, that we weren't ready to come back yet and, I think I said, I'm happy now and he should be happy too."

Lawyer: "How long was your conversation?"

Li: "It was about an hour."

Lawyer: "And did you see Olivier Adella's Chrysler 300 in the parking lot of the Millbrae Pancake House?"

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "What happened when you and Keith finished talking?"

I read: "He got out of my car and I left."

Lawyer: “What did you do next?”

Li: "So I drove to 1800 Truesdale."

Lawyer: "And why did you go to 1800 Truesdale?"

Li: "Because I wanted to get my friend Vu Ho's rent check."

Lawyer: "And where did you go, beyond Vu's house?"

Li: "I think I made it home."

Lawyer: “How come you don't have a better memory of tonight? April 28, 2016 is the night that
the father of your children disappeared, correct? Are you aware of the fact that April 28, 2016 is the night that Keith Green disappeared?

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "So you have no knowledge of the night your children's father disappeared, apart from conversations with your lawyers?"

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "The silly details of what happened that night don't stick in your head, Ms. Li? As you sit here today, do you know how Keith Green died?

Him: "No."

Lawyer: "As you sit here today, do you know if Kaveh Bayat had anything to do with the death of Keith Green?"

Him: "No."

Lawyer:

·IN. “Li, if Kaveh Bayat had never existed in your life, do you think Mr. Green would be alive today?

Li: "I don't know why the fact that Mr. Bayat is in my life would have anything to do with it."

• Li wrote an apology letter to the victim while in prison:

Lawyer: "Did you write a letter to Keith on his birthday while he was in custody in San Mateo County (jail)?"

I read: "Yes, I wrote this letter after retaining my attorney, (Geoffrey) Carr."

Lawyer: "And it's dated July 18, 2016, right?"

Li: "Try."

Lawyer: “(The letter writes) 'I wish I had never dated Kaveh and heard you talk about him. I am
Sorry Sorry. I didn't know when we would finally get a chance to talk, it would be the last time I would see you.'”

Lawyer: "What do you mean when you say you're sorry?"

Li: "That I didn't think Keith was saying that Kaveh was lying about things."

Lawyer: “(The letter writes) 'I was very sad when I came here, because why me? But I chose to date Kaveh and bring bad people around me. · I'm always as stupid as you always told me before. Everyone thinks I have something to do with this, but only you know the truth.

• Li describes the love triangle

Lawyer: "Can you tell us how you met Keith Green?"

I read: "I met Keith Green in high school through mutual friends."

Lawyer: "How old were you?"

Li: "17".

Lawyer: "How old were you?"

Li: "He was three years younger than me, so he was about 14 years old."

Lawyer: "When did you two start dating?"

Li: “We started dating in 2000.”

Lawyer: “How did you meet Kaveh Bayat?”

I read: “I met Mr. Bayat through Keith. Keith used to buy marijuana from Kaveh.

• Li hired a private investigator to spy on Green after she broke up with him:

Lawyer: "How many supervised visits did Keith have (with his daughters)?"

I read: “I don't remember how many times anymore. I was not allowed to be present for the visit.

Lawyer: "Did you hire private investigators to spy on Keith during that time?"

Li: "Yes, I did."

Lawyer: "Why did you do that?"

Li: “I wanted to make sure Keith had a job and wasn't high. And I wanted to make sure that he really had a place to stay, a stable home, so that when the girls came to visit him or live with him, they would be safe, in a safe environment.”

Lawyer: "Did you learn anything about the private investigator?"

I read: “I think the investigator once told me that Keith left with a paper bag that he thought might be alcohol and that it smelled like marijuana.”

Lawyer: “Okay. Was he with his children at the time?

Li: "No, I wasn't."

Lawyer: “Okay. So this was in your own time?

Li: "Try."

Lawyer: "Did you hire a private investigator to see if Keith was dating Cynthia (Green's new girlfriend)?"

Li: "Try."

READ: Complete testimonials from Tiffany Li and Olivier Adella

Revealing questions and answers from Adella's testimony

Adella: “I've been through much worse than this place. Please believe me, I've been through hell, so talking to a guy like you won't scare me. So you treat me with respect, disrespect, talk down to me, I'll talk down to you. I'm not afraid of you.

Lawyer: “Mr. Adella, would you agree to appear at trial in this case if we give you a subpoena?

Adella: “Not just…I will, I will testify and I can't wait. And it's not going to be the result you're looking for."

Lawyer: “What do I have to worry about?”

Adella: “Don't worry, I'll see you at the trial, my friend. His client... won the murder trial, right, because the district attorney... was extremely negligent, extremely incompetent with the sheriff. But the civil trial? Come on, man, she's not going to get over this. She killed the father of her two children.

Adella: “I think it's just common decency. Just pay these people, this poor woman, money. My God. She killed the father of her two children and you're here fighting for it? What kind of nonsense is this?"

Adella: “She already won. She killed a guy, took her two children. She walked out of the murder trial. The money from her (paid) for all this. And you're here defending this woman?

Adella: “OMG, money is really bad. And I'm also being sued. I understand why I am being sued. You don't see me crying, fighting for this. And I didn't kill anyone. I got used to it, I became a scapegoat. Her client committed the murder.

Adella: “Please take me to court. Make sure the media is there. Trust me, you will love it. Go ahead, now you can ask me a question. I'm not being combative.

Lawyer: "May I ask the following question, please?" While you were in the man cave, did Kaveh Bayat ask you to kill Keith Green?

Adella: "He didn't use the word kill."

Lawyer: "What, what did Kaveh Bayat ask you to do?"

Adella: "Get rid of him."

Lawyer: "And you heard Tiffany say the same thing out of her mouth?"

Adella: "She never said the same word(s), 'get rid of him,' but basically...she put a stamp on it."

Adella: “I told them that I can do many things; but this I cannot do. I can scare people, I can do many things; but this man is not a threat to me, he is not a threat to my wife, he is not a threat to my dog ​​and he is not a threat to my son. I can not do this".

Adella: “And you can see the sadness in Kaveh's eyes and the disappointment. And that's when Kaveh came in and said $50,000. Now who's offering $50,000 to scare someone off? Yes, they intended to kill him. They both hated him. She really, really, really hated him. Finally they went and killed him and brought me the corpse.