Chandra Levy Update: Jurors in DC Intern Murder Trial Hear Opening Arguments

WASHINGTON (CBS/WTOP/AP) More than nine years after Chandra Levy's disappearance generated headlines around the world, the trial of the man police believe is responsible for her death began Monday morning.

PICTURES: Chandra Levy Murdered

Prosecutors acknowledged mistakes in their investigation into the death of the Washington intern, but say they now have the man who killed her nearly a decade ago.

According to CBS affiliate WTOP, many of the jurors, who were selected last week, say they fear for their lives because the defendant, Ingmar Guandique, is a member of the notoriously violent MS 13 gang. Prosecuting attorneys will show them Guandique's gang tattoos and cite his supposed jail-house confession about Levy's murder.

He is currently serving a 10-year sentence for attacking two other women around the same time and location of Levy's murder.

Guandique's defense lawyers told the jury that there was practically no evidence that Guandique had anything to do with Levy's disappearance.

WTOP reports that prosecutors do not have a murder weapon, or DNA evidence linking Guandique to the murder.

However, they have been successful in barring a lie detector test that concluded Guandique was not lying when he said he did not know anything about Levy's disappearance.

Jurors are also expected to hear from Gary Condit, the former congressman who was romantically linked to Levy, according to the Washington radio station.

Prosecutors told the jury that police originally flubbed the investigation because they were mistakenly focused on Condit.

The trial is expected to last at least a month.

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE CHANDRA LEVY CASE