Shivangi Sinha
Netflix’s ‘Murder in Monaco’ examines the 1999 killing of billionaire banker Edmond Safra in his Monte Carlo penthouse. It revisits the investigation and lingering questions surrounding the case. The documentary focuses closely on Safra’s nurse, Ted Maher, who was convicted in Monaco for setting the fire that led to the deaths of Safra and his nurse, Vivian Torrente. It traces Maher’s life after his release, following him into his later years in the US, where he was again arrested and convicted in a separate violent crime.
Ted Maher Relocated to Monaco From New York For Better Work
Ted Maher was born in Maine and spent much of his early childhood in California. When he was about 12 years old, his parents relocated to New York. After completing his schooling, Maher briefly served in the US Army as a member of the Green Berets. Following his military service, he enrolled at Dutchess Community College to pursue a career in nursing. During this period, he met a fellow student, Heidi Wustrau, and the two began dating around 1991. They later continued their education together at Pace University and went on to work at Columbia Medical Center, part of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. With their professional lives progressing steadily, they planned a future together and were married on December 12, 1993.
The couple raised three children together, one of whom was from Maher’s previous marriage. Maher worked as a registered nurse and, by 1999, was employed in the neonatal unit at Columbia Medical Center. Around this period, the hospital was facing a potential strike, and Maher feared that both he and his wife could lose their jobs, placing additional strain on their family. During this time, he discovered an abandoned camera in a discharged patient’s room and had the film developed. The camera belonged to Laura Slatkin and Harry Slatkin, who were delighted to recover photos of their newborn twins. Grateful for his honesty, they later offered Maher employment.
Maher was informed that Edmond Safra, a billionaire investor living in Monaco, required private nursing care after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A rotating team of nurses was already employed, and through the Slatkins, Maher was offered a position. Attracted by the high salary and the opportunity to live in Monaco, he accepted and relocated there in August 1999 to begin work. On December 3, 1999, Maher claimed that he was assigned to the overnight shift at Safra’s penthouse at short notice, working alongside nurse Vivian Torrente. The remains of both Safra and Vivian were found in the panic room at the house.
Ted Maher Alleged That He Had Confessed to the Crime Under Pressure
After the incident, Ted Maher told authorities that two intruders had entered the apartment and attacked him. He claimed that he was stabbed while fighting them off. He said he instructed Vivian Torrente to move Safra into a secure room and gave her his phone to call for help. Maher stated that he then went to the nursing station and ignited toilet paper in a trash bin to trigger a smoke alarm, intending to alert others. Injured and weak, he went downstairs seeking assistance. Emergency responders arrived, but by the time they reached Edmond Safra and Vivian Torrente, both had died from smoke inhalation. Maher remained hospitalized following the incident, but the case took a dramatic turn on December 7, 1999, when the chief prosecutor announced publicly that Maher had signed a confession.
In the statement, Maher admitted to deliberately setting the fire, claiming he did so in an attempt to gain the favor of his employer. He stated that his plan was to be seen as the person who rescued Safra and that he had inflicted his own injuries to support the story. Maher was formally placed under arrest, though his trial did not begin until November 2002. During the proceedings, Safra’s head nurse, Sonia Herkrath, testified for the prosecution. Maher’s defense argued that while he intentionally started the fire, he never meant to cause harm, insisting the situation spiraled beyond his control. In December 2002, Maher was convicted of aggravated arson resulting in death and sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the deaths of Safra and Torrente.
On January 21, 2003, Maher escaped from prison with his cellmate, Luigi Ciardelli, and fled to Nice, France. From a hotel, he made several private calls to his wife, a priest, and his lawyer. Both his wife and the priest alerted authorities, and Maher was rearrested in less than seven hours. In May 2003, Heidi Maher filed for divorce. Maher was released in October 2007 and subsequently gave multiple interviews, maintaining his innocence. He alleged his hospital confession had never been appropriately translated and alleged he signed it under pressure, claiming his wife’s passport was withheld, leaving him no real choice but to comply.
Ted Maher is Being Held by the New Mexico Department of Corrections Today
In the years that followed, Ted Maher later claimed, without evidence, that Russian actors were involved in the death of Edmond Safra, though investigators found no evidence to substantiate these. After returning to the US, he began using the name Jon Laurence Green. After reportedly meeting his foirth wife, Kim Lark in 2017, the two got married in 2020. In April 2022, Maher was accused by Lark, of breaking into her office and taking financial items, cash, a firearm, and an iPad. He later attempted a large bank withdrawal before being stopped by police. Weeks later, he took her SUV containing three search-and-rescue dogs, including one that was pregnant. He was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, and later entered a plea on forgery charges. She filed for divorce a little while later.
In September 2023, while jailed under the name Jon Green, he was charged with arranging a contract killing of Lark. Prosecutors said he arranged and financed a plan with fellow inmate Greg Markham to kill her using a fentanyl overdose, intending to steal money believed to be hidden in her home. Maher was convicted of murder for hire in March and received the maximum sentence of nine years in July 2025. Prior to trial, he was undergoing medical treatment for throat cancer. According to the most recent reports, he is currently housed in a medical facility within the New Mexico Department of Corrections.
Read More: Edmond Safra and Vivian Torrente Murder Details and Investigation Timeline
