UNSOLVED: Michael Tardio & Christopher Monson

Some murders remain mysteries, filled with more questions than answers, like a puzzle dumped out of the box, with nothing fitting together yet. Others are nearly complete, missing just a piece or two before the full picture emerges.

The murders of Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson fall into the latter category: unsolved, but tantalizingly close to resolution.

Their story begins not with them, but with Mark Yagalla, an investor who, in August 1999, was secretly running a $50 million Ponzi scheme. During this time, he began dating Playmate Sandy Bentley, showering her with extravagant gifts: luxury cars, a mansion, and high-end jewelry. But in October 2000, Yagalla was arrested, and Sandy was ordered to return the gifts. Desperate, she managed to recover some of the jewelry.

In September 2002, her new boyfriend, Michael Tardio, arranged a meeting to sell it for $1 million in cash, bringing his friend Christopher Monson along. The next day, both men were found shot and burned in a smoldering SUV. The killer, and the jewelry, were never found.

Christopher Monson (left) and Michael Tardio (right)

Sandy & Mandy Bentley with Hugh Hefner

Mark and Sandy

Reward poster

Mark Yagalla on the cover of the Daily Mail

If you have any information regarding the murders of Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson, please contact the Los Angeles Police Department at 800-222-TIPS

Resources

• https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2039438/

• https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1163338/?ref_=nm_dyk_trv1

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/markyagalla/?originalSubdomain=th

• https://web.archive.org/web/20110225033110/http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/02/18/reward-offered-for-info-in-2002-double-murder/

• https://web.archive.org/web/20150717122446/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/18/police-seek-help-solving-2002-la-double-killing/ 

• https://web.archive.org/web/20150717135506/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/dec/12/news/lv-angles12

• https://web.archive.org/web/20120422134322/https://money.cnn.com/2005/07/11/markets/scandal_hedgefunds/index.htm

• https://web.archive.org/web/20110223220835/http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_17423551

• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-dec-19-me-tardio19-story.html

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1999-10/10/000r-101099-idx.html 

• https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/mark-yagalla-writes-for-newscomau-how-i-stole-hugh-hefners-girlfriend/news-story/d136d558ab0cccaa5b15b455628dbf5b

• https://lasvegassun.com/news/2003/oct/16/bidder-end-convicted-swindlers-mansion-to-hit-the-/

• https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=9376177873830802260&q=mark+yagalla&hl=en&as_sdt=2006

• https://web.archive.org/web/20121007015320/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/18/business/fund-manager-23-years-old-is-arrested-on-fraud-charges.html

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-playmate-a-ponzi-scheme-jewels-and-murder/  

• https://web.archive.org/web/20110810154828/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/19/48hours/main20033533.shtml 

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2748748/He-s-Wall-Street-scam-artist-stole-50m-Hugh-Hefner-s-girlfriend-Mark-Yagalla-wants-tell-not-conned-retirement-savings.html

• https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/221735843/?article=b1a4d80c-d7aa-4c45-a7cc-986c0a4552de&focus=0.36878002,0.20987457,0.5212671,0.5389097&xid=3355&_gl=1*1yjjl1u*_ga*MzA1MDI1ODgzLjE2NDAyMjA2OTg.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY1OTU0ODYzMi42MS4xLjE2NTk1NDg4ODkuMA..&_ga=2.5755891.1954052038.1659548634-305025883.1640220698 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/221554463/?terms=michael%20tardio&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/279160655/?terms=mark%20yagalla&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/408980537/?terms=mark%20yagalla&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/179832705/?terms=mark%20yagalla&match=1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/179832866/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/278740869/?terms=mark%20yagalla&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/165252558/?terms=mark%20yagalla&match=1