Florida Criminal Attorney Blog

Nicole Okrzesik and James Ayers were arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in connection to the murder of Juliana Mensch, 19, according to news reports. Okrzesik, 22, and Ayers, 32, were both booked into Broward County Jail on the charges. Okrzesik was reportedly charged with one count of first degree murder last Thursday; Ayers was hit with the same charge on March 31, reports indicate. It is not known whether Okrzesik, who was apprehended just before the weekend, has qualified for bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to news reports, authorities believe that Juliana Mensch was murdered in the early morning hours of March 24 in Nicole Okrzesik's residence, located in the 1100 block of Northwest 7th Terrace in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sources indicate that on the night of the alleged murder, Mensch spoke to a friend on the phone and told him that she was "getting high with Nikki and her boyfriend at their house." It is not clear how the victim and the defendants knew each other, nor is it clear what types of drugs the trio was allegedly using. Troy Grimes, the friend who Mensch spoke to before she died, is believed to be cooperating with the investigation.

Detectives reportedly believe that at some point during the course of the night, Okrzesik attacked Mensch and attempted to kill her by breaking her neck. However, Okrzesik was allegedly unsuccessful, and authorities believe that Ayers ended up killing Mensch via strangulation as Okrzesik held her down, according to reports. After she died, Ayers allegedly stole several hundred dollars that Mensch had stashed inside of her bra. It is not clear how Ayers allegedly knew that the money was there.

Investigators evidently compiled details of the story through testimony that Ayers allegedly gave while in custody, as well as from two people Ayers had allegedly told about the murder. One, Michael Paul, is reportedly a friend of Ayers, while the other Paul Sohr, was a former drug counselor to Ayers. Both of the men are believed to be cooperating with the investigation.

Continue reading "James Ayers, Nicole Okrzesik Arrested for Fort Lauderdale, Florida Murder of Juliana Mensch" »

Denise Bozarth of Key Largo, Florida was arrested after Edward Bozarth, her late husband, was determined to have been murdered in 2007, sources indicate. Denize Bozarth was arrested on Thursday, March 15 on charges of first-degree murder. Bozarth, 39, was apprehended in the Florida Panhandle, where she was living with her parents, but will soon be returned to Southern Florida to face the charges before a grand jury.

Investigators say that Denise confessed to the murder during questioning. If pronounced guilty as charged, she could face the death penalty. It is not clear whether she is eligible to receive bail bond or whether she has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to the police report, Bozarth had moved back to Defunjak Springs, where her parents live, a short time before her husband's body was found five years ago. Denise had apparently informed Edward Bozarth in Junethat she wanted to separate from him prior to the murder, and her parents picked up her children from Screw U 2, the 36-cabin boat where the couple was living in Key Largo. A week later, Denize Bozarth left to join her children and parents in Defunjak Springs.

Edward Bozarth's body was found in July of 2007 aboard Screw U 2, stuffed into the starboard engine compartment. Authorities had gone to investigate after a worker on a nearby boat complained of an intense odor coming from the cruiser. The 62-year-old's body was reportedly wrapped in a canvas sail storage bag, with a towel around his head. His head showed evidence of a beating, and it was eventually determined that the cause of death was traumatic head injury. The ship's air conditioning had been set at 60 degrees. Investigators believe he had been dead for at least a week before his body was discovered.

Prosecutors were able to build a case against Denise Bozarth due to the testimony of several informants who told authorities that Denise wanted to kill her husband in order to obtain a $650,000 inheritance he had received from his mother. Several witnesses told authorities that Bozarth had said that she would receive the inheritance if he were to die. Investigators confirmed that this was indeed the case, and it appears that Denise did indeed receive the inheritance after her husband's murder.

Bonnie Colon, who had been living with the family during the summer of 2007, told detectives that Denise had mused over different ways to kill her husband every day and mentioned the inheritance to her several times. One of the scenarios that Bozarth had shared with Colon involved hitting her husband over the head and shoving his body overboard into the ocean; another involved killing him in his sleep, wrapping his dead body in plastic and leaving it on the boat. Parts of both of these scenarios were carried out in the 2007 murder. Another witness told authorities that he had been sleeping with Denise and that she offered him a $10,000 reward if he killed Edward Bozarth. He told police that he had declined the offer.

Denise herself reportedly failed a polygraph test and reported inconsistencies when interviewed about what happened on the day of her husband's murder.

Burnie Reed of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was arrested for murder after more than a week of searching. The 19-year-old has been charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder, resisting arrest with violence and resisting arrest without violence. He was denied bail bond in an initial hearing with Judge Jay Hurley at the Broward County Jail, where he is currently awaiting trial. It is unknown whether Reed has a private criminal defense attorney or will be relying on the public defender.

Police had conducted an extensive searched for the alleged killer that involved the FBI Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force, the Secret Service, Lauderhill police and Fort Lauderdale police. The investigation also appealed to the public for clues. Reed was apprehended when the search led authorities to a Lauderhill home in the 3400 block of Northwest 4th Ct. It is not known who owns the home.

Reed was reportedly trying to hide under a pile of furniture and clothing in one of the bedrooms of the home. He refused to cooperate with authorities and ended up causing a scuffle. Police were able to arrest him, although he sustained a nasty black eye that he sports in his mug shot.

The arrest and charges come in connection to an incident in which Reed allegedly tried to kill his pregnant ex-girlfriend by shooting her in the head, and succeeded in killing her sister in the same fashion. Reed was reportedly arguing with Chutney McNair, 19, with whom he had a rocky romantic relationship for about a year and a half, on the January 21. The fight occurred outside of both parties homes in the 1100 block of NW 11th St. Chutney was three months pregnant with his child and had asked her mother, Karen McNair, 47, to come out of the home with her to try to control the situation.

Continue reading "Burnie Reed Arrested for Murder in Fort Lauderdale, Florida" »