Tiffany Li: Hillsborough murder suspect released on bail

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KTVU) -- - The Hillsborough woman accused of arranging the murder of her ex-boyfriend last year walked out of jail Thursday afternoon after relatives posted a record-high $35 million bail.

Tiffany Li, 31, walked out of the Redwood City Jail and was greeted by a crush of news reporters and camera crews as she got into a black sport utility vehicle. She did not answer questions and was shielded as she walked out of the front door of the building.

Li and co-defendants Olivier Adella, 41, Kaveh Bayat, 30, are accused of fatally shooting Keith Green, who was found dead off the side of a Sonoma County road on May 11, 2016. He had gone missing on April 28 after going to meet Li at a restaurant in Millbrae.

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Prosecutors said Li had two children with the victim and was afraid of losing a custody battle so she arranged to have her boyfriend, Bayat, kill Green and to have Adella dispose of the body.

Green's body was found in a ravine off Highway 101 near Healdsburg a month later. Investigators have said he had been shot to death.

Adella and Bayat are in custody on no bail status. Li is the only defendant to file a motion for bail, which prosecutors opposed, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

When the judge decided to grant bail, prosecutors requested $100 million, but the judge went much lower over their objection, Wagstaffe said.

Because of her family's wealth, bail was actually set at $35 million for Li. Her family was said to have posted a $4 million cash payment while the balance of the bail amount was in properties. Under California law, the equity of the homes must then be twice the bail.

Authorities have said the bail amount was the largest amount ever posted in San Mateo County.

Prosecutors argued that Li should be denied bail, because she was a flight risk but the judge went much lower over their objection, Wagstaffe said.

Under the terms of her release, Li will be required to turn over her passport and the passports of her children, stay at least 100 yards from any airport and wear a GPS-monitoring system to ensure she does not leave her home.

"If she leaves that house, it will be known," Wagstaffe said.

Li's defense attorney Geoff Carr said he's never had a client jump bail in 37 years.

"I don't think Ms. Li is anymore of a flight risk than a lot of other people," Carr said.

"The DA has taken the position that it's more likely she's going to flee because she has money," but that belief is not supported by the evidence, Carr said.

Li is expected back in court for a pre-trial conference in September, Carr said.

Bay City News contributed to this report.