Mystery Surrounds Case of Local Attorney Found Nude and Bloody in Her Home

KWTN Team Report

A month-long investigation by the key West Police Department has failed to determine for sure what really happened to Attorney Maria Betancourt during the two days after Thanksgiving.

According to police reports released this week, officers responding to a “suspicious incident” call late Saturday night, November 28. They found Betancourt lying on the floor of her Duck Avenue townhome, naked, bruised and bleeding from face and head injuries. Officers also found multiple pools of blood and blood smears on walls and furniture on both the first and second floors of the residence.

Officer Jesse Young reported that “Betancourt had bruising all over her body, dried blood in her mouth between her teeth, dried blood in her ears and blood on the back of her head, in her hair.”

In his report, Det. Frank Duponty concluded that Betancourt had apparently fallen down the stairs and may have been too disoriented to call for help.

A neighbor called 911 after he heard “strange noise” coming from Betancourt’s home. The neighbor also told police that, two days earlier, he had seen Betancourt’s front door standing open and he had secured it.

Betancourt reportedly told a paramedic that she had been the victim of a sexual assault, and Det. Duponty passed that information to a doctor at Lower Keys Medical Center— but, Duponty reported, the results of a sexual assault examination were negative. When officers attempted to question Betancourt at the hospital, they reported that she was incoherent.

Duponty reported that the doctor told him that Betancourt’s injuries were serious enough to airlift her to Miami for treatment.

During the investigation at Betancourt’s home, officers noted that her car, a 2004 BMW, was not in the garage or the driveway and they put an “attempt to locate” call out on the police radio. The car was subsequently found at the home of Attorney Margaret Tobin, a friend of Betancourt.

Tobin told Det. Duponty that Betancourt had been a guest at her house for Thanksgiving dinner two days earlier. Tobin said that, about 10 p.m., she had insisted on driving Betancourt home “for her own safety.” She said she dropped Betancourt off at her house and that was the last time she had talked to her.

Det. Duponty was finally able to interview Betancourt on the afternoon of December 17, at the police station. It was a short interview. According to Duponty’s report, Betancourt told him that she did not remember anything that happened on the night of November 28.

Duponty reported that his investigation revealed nothing to suggest that a crime had been committed and he closed the case pending new information.

Go Back Where You Were

Comments

[Debbie Niles]

Concerning the article regarding Atty Maria Betancourt, the police report states that her friend Margaret Tobin dropped her off at her house after a Thanksgiving diner. Tobin states "that was the last time she talked to her " Why would Tobin leave her friend off at her home without making sure that she got inside okay, much less not calling her for two days, when her car was still in Tobin's possession. It was not until a neighbor had concerns and finds her 2 days later in that condition and called the police. What is the definition of a TRUE FRIEND WHEN YOU JUST OVERLOOK THIS TIMING??? This smells.....

[Ed. Garcia]

Perhaps Dupoonty should be sent to a better instructed homicide seminar

[Winnie]

I knew Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes was a friend of mine, Duponty, you're no Sherlock Holmes!

[H]

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, and this story sounds like it may also be fiction.
How about a real investigation... Fingerprints, DNA, witness interviews.