FL FL - Isabella Hellmann, 41, catamaran off Cay Sal, FL Keys,14 May 2017 #2 *GUILTY*

[Gardener1850]

Tuesday’s complaint said Bennett told investigators that just after dining at about 8 p.m. and before heading below for the night, he set the catamaran’s autopilot on a course for Florida and told Hellmann to take the watch and wake him if needed.

He said he next was awakened by a sound of a crash from underneath the catamaran. At the time he was about 20 miles west of the Cay Sal Bank in the Bahamas, southeast of Key West.
“Members of the helicopter, fixed-wing plane, and two cutters involved in the search efforts for Hellmann all reported that no navigation hazards were observed during the search and rescue efforts, including but not limited to, no shipping containers and no floating or partially submerged objects,” Kelley said in the complaint. He also said no other vessels were seen in the area where Bennett was rescued.

Coast Guard photos and video of the vessel show a small part of each of the two hulls was breached from the inside, the complaint said, citing the outward damage angle of each breach. Each hole was “nearly in the same locations,” it said.
“This damage was not catastrophic,” the complaint said, citing interviews with Coast Guard authorities familiar with boating accidents. It said that the manufacturer and sailing experts said opening the portholes would flood the catamaran’s cabin. The complaint said Bennett never mentioned the open portholes in a May 23 voluntary interview with the FBI.
“Bennett indicated that he did not try to locate the source of flooding and did not mention taking any steps to stop the vessel from taking on water,” the complaint said. It said Bennett then began the procedures to abandon ship, gathering his belongings, and said he boarded the raft 45 minutes to an hour after being awakened.
But, the complaint said, the manufacturer says the design and quality of the ship, and Bennett’s experience, mean he should have been able to keep the catamaran afloat, had he taken basic steps.
Instead, it said, Bennett “indicated that he did not do anything.”

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news...tentionally-sank-boat/2o8A2owCPKfK465RBTVAWJ/

 

[GraceG]

Wow ! Great news, indeed.
My .02 is that it was premeditated and should have been 1st. But I'll take the lesser.
Her poor family.

Me too. Having grown up around boats (we lived by the mouth of the Columbia River and ocean fished) his story never made sense to me. As far as first and second degree, second may involve malice aforethought, but is not premeditated or planned. In Florida - for a charge of first degree murder based on a premeditated killing, the prosecutor must show the defendant's specific intent to kill. The prosecutor usually must establish an advance plan or design formed to carry out the homicide. To establish premeditation, the prosecutor may need to present evidence about the defendant's activities or steps taken to prepare for the killing. If Isabella's husband left no evidence of steps taken to set up the killing through written documents, recordings of conversation or computer forensic examination of files and electronic communications, a first-degree charge could be tossed. By charging him with second, they are much more likely to get a firm conviction.

 

[whitelilac]

Wow ! Finally !!!
I never believed this creep's story.

 

[flute4peace]

Oh my wow, did not see that coming!

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[JerseyGirl]

Here is the criminal complaint: https://media.local10.com/document_...l Complaint_1519151833512_11686696_ver1.0.pdf

thanks to local10 for the link: https://www.local10.com/news/crime/husband-of-missing-delray-beach-woman-charged-with-murder

 

[dixiegirl1035]

https://www.wptv.com/news/state/2nd...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Updated 2 minutes ago

 

[NewMama]

Here is the criminal complaint: https://media.local10.com/document_...l Complaint_1519151833512_11686696_ver1.0.pdf

thanks to local10 for the link: https://www.local10.com/news/crime/husband-of-missing-delray-beach-woman-charged-with-murder

He never even called out for her - by his own admittance.

 

[Gardener1850]

https://www.wptv.com/news/state/2nd...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Updated 2 minutes ago

I think this was added:

He was also sentenced Tuesday morning in a federal court in Miami to seven months in prison and three years of supervised release, if he's not deported, for transporting stolen coins.

Bennett, 41, of Poole, United Kingdom, will have to report to immigration officials upon his release from jail.
Bennett was taken into federal custody at the federal court house in Miami.

Only 7 months for transporting stolen coins? No wonder they brought the 2nd degree murder charges now.

 

[Legally Bland]

Here is the criminal complaint: https://media.local10.com/document_...l Complaint_1519151833512_11686696_ver1.0.pdf

RSBM

So 2 escape batches below the waterline were opened...

I just hope there's enough to convince a jury.

 

[zelmajane]

I just stumbled in to this thread for the first time in a month. Bittersweet to hear the news. I hope her family can get visitation of the little girl. Wow.


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[Satchie]

RSBM

So 2 escape hatches below the waterline were opened...

I just hope there's enough to convince a jury.

Yes, unfortunately, the case looks a bit circumstantial. However, the evidence of the damage having been caused from inside, in an identical manner on both hulls, will IMO be crucial. It can probably be proven scientifically, therefore proving that he lied about crashing into something. Then everything else will be taken as lies.

I still don't understand how he thought it would be a good idea to scuttle the yacht, given the stolen coins he had on board.

My guess is he was tired of arguing about moving to Australia and had decided to go for broke and "move on with his life". Get rid of Isabella, liquidate their joint assets, probably sell the coins, take the baby to his parents and move back to Australia.

It's very tragic to think IH trusted this man so much.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I KNEW it!

That poor woman, and leaving the baby motherless.....ugh

 

[cnmccarthy]

FBI charges Lewis Bennett with 2nd-degree murder in missing wife Isabella Hellmann case!!
10:39 AM, Feb 20, 2018
And updated 57 mins ago
https://www.wptv.com/news/state/2nd...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The old trick.. get somebody back into the states to charge them with something else?

OMG!!!!! I was not expecting this. I’m so curious to know what evidence they have!!

ETA just read what they have. I thought they weren’t able to bring in the catamaran? I wonder how they got this info?

 

[NewMama]

Yes, unfortunately, the case looks a bit circumstantial. However, the evidence of the damage having been caused from inside, in an identical manner on both hulls, will IMO be crucial. It can probably be proven scientifically, therefore proving that he lied about crashing into something. Then everything else will be taken as lies.

I still don't understand how he thought it would be a good idea to scuttle the yacht, given the stolen coins he had on board.

My guess is he was tired of arguing about moving to Australia and had decided to go for broke and "move on with his life". Get rid of Isabella, liquidate their joint assets, probably sell the coins, take the baby to his parents and move back to Australia.

It's very tragic to think IH trusted this man so much.

It does look circumstantial. According to the complaint he didn’t use available flares to illuminate the surrounding waters to look for her - he answered “no” to the question of looking for Isabella at all. I do wonder how that will play out. According to the complaint he abandoned the vessel approx 45 min to 1hr after he woke up. And not one bit of that was looking for her. Now I’m not a seaman - but it doth strike odd.

 

[thedebut]

Wow I'm very surprised at this news but so very happy. I hope this will allow her family to build a case for joint custody or visitation with the baby.


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[La Louve]

Thrilled to read this news today. It was only a matter of time, IMHO.

Rest in Peace, Isabella. Justice is coming.
:rose:

 

[Horror]

This is great news !!! I was not confident to be honest they could get him. Hopefully Isabella family can raise her little one.


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[DakotaMayi]

Amazing news. I couldn't follow here before because my anger towards this guy just out weighed everything else.

Where is LO now?

 

[JerseyGirl]

I had a gut feeling he was guilty, which is why I initially posted her missing here.

 

[msphilosopher]

Yes. Yes. Yes. YES!

I was worried we weren’t going to see charges. My hope was that once the coin charges were placed that the murder charges would follow.

It’s interesting that the FBI is saying he didn’t leave the boat until 45 minutes after it started taking on water. The way LB was interviewed sounded as if he only had minutes to spare until the boat sank. Interesting.

#BringEmeliaBack


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