CNN
 — 

An American public defender who died this month whereas celebrating his first marriage ceremony anniversary in Mexico “was the sufferer of a brutal crime,” his household mentioned, noting a coroner’s liaison instructed them the case was despatched to an area prosecutor “to conduct a potential murder investigation.”

Elliot Blair, 33, a deputy public defender in Orange County, California, died from “extreme head trauma,” the liaison mentioned, citing an post-mortem, in accordance with a household assertion offered by their lawyer, David Scarsone.

Blair was discovered lifeless Saturday on the Las Rocas Resort in Rosarito Seaside – a 45-mile drive south of San Diego – the place he and his spouse Kim have been staying.

The Baja California Lawyer Normal’s Workplace mentioned the loss of life gave the impression to be the “results of an unlucky accident from a fall by the now deceased from a third-story ground,” in accordance with its assertion to the Orange County Register.

The company didn’t instantly reply to CNN’s request for remark. Rosarito Seaside police didn’t instantly return CNN’s calls.

Blair’s household has not had contact with Mexican legislation enforcement about his loss of life, they mentioned.

“The household, which has in depth authorized coaching in legal legislation, wholeheartedly believes primarily based on their preliminary investigation, that Elliot was the sufferer of a brutal crime,” its assertion reads.

Las Rocas Resort & Spa Rosarito is seen in this aerial image.

Whereas Blair’s kin don’t provide any particular proof of against the law, they dispute his loss of life occurred off the couple’s resort room balcony and say it occurred exterior the room’s entrance door in an open-air walkway, in accordance with the assertion.

“Elliot was not intoxicated on the time of this incident,” the household mentioned, including they instructed the coroner’s liaison they’ll rent a non-public agency to conduct an unbiased investigation, together with toxicology. The liaison had instructed them a toxicology report had not been accomplished, they mentioned.

The household opposes cremation of Blair’s physique, they mentioned, noting that in conversations with a funeral house they’ve been instructed a number of instances that authorities have really helpful that course of.

A fundraiser in honor of Blair’s reminiscence has been organized by a colleague to assist Blair’s spouse with the “cumbersome course of concerned in transporting Elliot’s physique from Mexico to the USA and coping with all of the crimson tape,” reads the donation web page arrange by Annie Rodriguez, to whom CNN has reached out.

“We want we might present everybody with extra data, however very restricted data has been disclosed by authorities in Mexico,” it reads.

Elliot and Kim had been within the public defender’s workplace in Orange County since 2017, the web page states.

“Elliot was identified for a smile on his face and a intelligent thoughts,” the positioning reads. “There usually are not sufficient phrases to precise the extent of affection he had for Kim. Kim was his life. They only began constructing a life collectively of their first 12 months of marriage.”

Orange County Public Defender Martin Schwarz referred CNN to Scarsone.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *