Day one of Klein trial testimony includes ‘jealous’ email, graphic crime scene video

Prosecutors Wednesday showed body camera video of a horrific, bloody scene and an email where Jacob Klein admitted he was ‘extremely jealous’ of the man who married his ex-girlfriend during day one of testimony in the Klein trial.

Klein, 42, is accused of killing 35-year-old Philip Rabadi at his New Scotland home last year. Klein was in a romantic relationship with Philip Rabadi’s wife, Elana Radin, years prior, said investigators. Police allege Klein had been stalking Rabadi for three days in a rented white pickup truck before killing him. He was arrested in Virginia two days later, where he lives.

The email showed Wednesday afternoon by prosecutors was sent to Radin by Klein in the days after she married Rabadi.

The email subject read “Congrats! Really proud of and very happy for you!”

It appeared to show Klein telling Radin she looked “absolutely gorgeous” at her wedding and saying, “I cannot pretend I wasn’t extremely jealous of the lucky guy when I found out.”

Klein apparently went on to say, “Sadly I had in the back of my mind grand plans of becoming rich and successful on the west coast and triumphantly returning to the east coast to win you back in my true egotistical fashion.”

He also told Radin, “I’m sorry for the awful side of me you got to see” during their breakup.

Prosecutors said Radin provided the email to investigators, which led to their consideration of Klein as a prime suspect.

Prosecutors also questioned an investigator with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office about painter’s tape. Video showed Klein throwing out a piece of painter’s tape at the rental car service in the hours after the murder. The investigator noted that same type of tape was found on Rabadi’s body.

Deputies were called to Rabadi’s New Scotland home in April 2022 for a welfare check, after Rabadi didn’t show up for work at St. Peter’s Hospital, where he worked as a physician assistant.

The body camera video came from Albany County Sheriff’s Deputy Megan Wilkes. She was first to arrive on scene. It showed Radin and father Shaw Rabadi finding Philip Rabadi in the garage. They arrived to check on Philip at the same time. It showed screams of “what is this?” as they found Philip face down in a pool of blood in the garage.

Jurors were also shown surveillance video Wednesday of the timeframe that investigators zeroed in on in this case.

It shows a white pickup driving onto the road where the Rabadis live, then leaving about 30 minutes later.

Neighbors said they saw the truck in the days leading up to and on the day that Philip was killed. It was a vehicle that Klein rented, according to investigators.

Klein is cross-examining witnesses and trying to poke holes in the investigation and question their claims.

Klein is representing himself in court, and maintains he is completely innocent. He said in opening statements that he rented a vehicle in order to go off road to look at a potential investment property in New Scotland the week of the murder.