Mistrial declared after jury hears too much about suspect in Broward murder case
A Broward judge declared a mistrial Wednesday in the case of Joseph Traeger, a Sunrise man accused of killing his estranged wife after Thanksgiving five years ago, getting rid of her body in the household trash, and lying to police detectives investigating her disappearance.
Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra was forced to order the mistrial because prosecutors played a recording for the jury that had not been properly edited. Jurors learned that Traeger had failed a polygraph exam, commonly known as a lie-detector test, early in the investigation.
Polygraph results are not admissible in court. Prosecutors told Kollra that the inclusion of the wayward statement was accidental, and Kollra agreed despite a defense objection. If Kollra had not agreed it was accidental, the case would have been thrown out and Traeger could not have been retried.
Kollra dismissed the jury and set a Thursday hearing to schedule a retrial. Traeger, 55, remains in custody without bond at the Broward Main Jail, charged with second-degree murder.
Traeger’s own statement to police was one of the most compelling pieces of evidence against him. His wife’s body was never found and is believed to have been incinerated. Traeger first told police that he had no idea where the victim, Jeneen Ann Catanzaro, went after she was last seen by family members.
He then said he found her dead in her home after he came out of a shower, and he got rid of the body because he was afraid he would be blamed for her death, according to court records.
He finally admitted to the crime, telling police he stabbed Catanzaro during a fight about his desire to move back in with her.
Until Tuesday, Traeger was one of two men on trial in Broward for murders with missing bodies. Prosecutors are nearly done presenting their case against the other defendant, Edward Taylor, who is charged with the murder of his Lauderhill neighbor, Adrian Curry, who was last seen Sept. 7, 2017.
Closing arguments in that case are expected Thursday.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.