By Lauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk. Latest Parkinson's Treatment Might Surprise You, Mother found 15-year-old daughter dead in apartment, police say, Former Puyallup police officer arrested for rape, linked to another unsolved assault, Police investigating how 3 men accused of murder entered Peachtree City teen's apartment, 18-year-old wanted for allegedly shooting girl at Monroeville hotel arrested, Woman possibly kidnapped by man she met on dating app: suburban police, Woman dead, 3 men hospitalized after shooting in West Palm Beach apartment, Akron Police arrest man for murder of 1-year-old killed in 2020 triple shooting, Young woman found stabbed to death inside suburban home. Sign up to receive breaking True Crime Daily news, exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes info. Spring Breakers Arrested for Drugging, Raping Woman Who Later Died in Miami Hotel: Police, Police Chief Says Miami Partying Couldn't Go on Any Longer', Check Your Change! WPLG-TV reports the woman's body was found partially clothed in her room at the hotel, according to Miami Beach Police. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Miami Beach police arrested Dorian Taylor, 24, and Evoire Collier, 21, both from North Carolina and visiting for spring break, according to investigators. He obtained a death declaration about seven years after her disappearance. Mourners laid flowers in a vigil Friday for the Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room. Kopta, now 86, recalled how they met near a river in Pittsburgh where he had a boat. Elizabeth Khamermesh remembered her high school friend Englehardt as a bright person with dreams. Years went by with no sign of her. "She just loved the ocean, the beach, the warm sunshine," Smith told the AP. Investigators believe Englehardt made contact with the suspects in a restaurant. "This is the last person I would ever think this would happen to. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Its a sad thing, but its a relief off my mind, her husband said. March 24, 2021, 12:10 AM. The suspects were reportedly recorded on video using the credit cards around Miami Beach, including at a liquor store. "She was the person you brought in that lit up the whole room. She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico, Check Your Change! Crowds continue to pack South Beach and even with an 8 p.m. curfew, law enforcement has their hands full. A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico, Check Your Change! Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. They are currently being held without bond. They are charged with sexual battery as well. Surveillance cameras from the Albion Hotel in South Beach show her with the two men around 1 a.m. that morning. "I come home one night, and she's just gone," Bob Kopta told the AP. They are currently being held without bond. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead in a Miami Beach hotel room last week; police said she'd been drugged and raped. Mourners were gathering outside of the Albion Hotel, where. "I thought maybe she had died. Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person in need to the adult care home in 1999, according to details announced at a news conference this week in Ross Township, where she once lived. So he published ads in Puerto Rican newspapers, but never got a response. Prosecutors say Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24 both of . Her husband, Bob Kopta, and her surviving sister, 78-year-old Gloria Smith. The victim was identified by authorities as 24-year-old. The victim was identified by authorities as 24-year-old Christine Englehardt from Pennsylvania. All Rights Reserved. He obtained a death declaration about seven years after her disappearance. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. One investigator said that a court surveillance video shows the suspects holding the victim up and that the video made it clear she was unable to consent. "She said something about seeing an angel there," Smith recalled. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Both men matched the description given to police and were stopped and detained by detectives Sunday. Samantha DiFrancesco, a close friend of Englehardt's, said she was a "genuinely good person.". After graduating high school, she worked in finance at a Pittsburgh plate glass company and would attend ballroom dancing events weekly, according to her family. After a social worker contacted police in Pennsylvania, it took almost a year for DNA samples to confirm that the woman was indeed Patricia Kopta. / CBS/AP. "It is just very sad to see someone die so young, she didn't deserve it, it was horrible," Khamermesh. Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. One investigator said that a court surveillance video shows the suspects holding the victim up and that the video made it clear she was unable to consent. ALSO SEE: Miami Beach chaos isnt all college spring breakers. Thats when family members noticed a change in her. ___ AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed from New York. The Medical Examiner has not made a ruling on the cause of death as they are still awaiting toxicology results, officials said. According to authorities, the. A woman who police say died after being drugged and raped in a Miami Beach hotel room was visiting Florida from the Philadelphia suburbs. SEE ALSO: 2 men accused of drugging, raping Bucks County woman found dead in Miami hotel room. "I didn't believe it. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. Police arrested Dorian Taylor, 24, and Evoire Collier, 21, both from North Carolina. She says shes been unable to speak to the elder sibling on the phone because she cannot hold a conversation given her dementia. "Im severely bewildered by these charges and accusations against him, but I can attest for his character and I can attest for responsibility of him standing trial for whatever charges," his sister said. . If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. When your wife goes missing, youre a suspect.. Last year, a social worker at the home alerted authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. Dorian Taylor and Evoire Collier, both from North Carolina, have been charged with sexual battery as well as burglary with battery, theft and credit card fraud. All rights reserved. The Marion County Sheriff's Office did not name the woman . A possible drug overdose was suspected. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room after two men drugged and raped her, police said. "Shock. In 1972, they married. Samantha DiFrancesco, a close friend of Englehardt's, said she was a "genuinely good person.". She then got a job as an elevator operator at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Surveillance cameras from the Albion Hotel on James Avenue show her with the two men around 1 a.m. that morning. After a social worker contacted police in Pennsylvania, it took almost a year for DNA samples to confirm that the woman was indeed Patricia Kopta. 2 men accused of drugging, raping Pa. woman found dead in Miami hotel room. Patricia Kopta had been nicknamed The Sparrow because of her slight build, and often frequented parking lots and busy roads in the largely residential community of about 31,000 north of Pittsburgh, where she would caution passersby and motorists about the end of the world. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. He gave her and her friends a ride and fell in love. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. A Pittsburgh woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who . "We really thought she was dead all those years. If investigators find the pill led to her death, the suspects could face manslaughter or murder charges. But before she began preaching, Kopta was a straight-A student who became a model and dance instructor. Her family said she suffered from mental health issues and feared being institutionalized, CBS Pittsburgh reported. "It's a sad thing, but it's a relief off my mind," her husband said. She said something about seeing an angel there, Smith recalled. A detective testified hotel video showed the woman was staggering as they walked into the elevator at the hotel, the Herald reports. A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "She would always hang out down in Pittsburgh where things were going on. Bob Kopta, who did not remarry, said he doesnt plan to visit, and that hes now trying to forget the past, though hes glad to know shes being taken care of. Smith, on the other hand, wants to go to the island to see her older sister. Investigators believe Englehardt made contact with the suspects in a restaurant. Theyre also accused of stealing her credit cards and using them at several locations across Miami Beach. To think she went through what she went through, it's sickening; it's sick," DiFrancesco said. She then got a job as an elevator operator at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, Man finds giant clam estimated to be 214 years old. Investigators believe the suspects gave the victim a green pill to drug her. She would vacation often in Puerto Rico with her friends before she got married, Smith recalled. Detectives obtained surveillance video showing them entering the Albion Hotel with the victim and later leaving without her. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead at the Albion Hotel on James Avenue in Miami Beach on Thursday, March 18. Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. It was total shock," her surviving sister Gloria Smith said. They are currently being held without bond. Investigators believe the suspects gave the victim a green pill to drug her. Her husband, Bob Kopta, and Gloria Smith, 78, filled in details of Koptas life at the news conference and in telephone interviews Friday with The Associated Press. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. 1 min read. "As she asked and spoke more, she leaked enough details about her identity that they were able to connect enough dots to contact us," Kohlhepp said. Collier claimed Taylor gave the woman a green pill as they walked on Ocean Drive, but it was unclear from the arrest report if she took the pill willingly, or if it was slipped. Collier told police he believed it was the pain reliever Percocet. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room is being remembered as a "shining light." . Please enter valid email address to continue. The men are also accused of stealing her cell phone, cash and credit cards once Englehardt was unconscious, according to a judge. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61. I went through a lot, said Bob Kopta, a retired truck driver. Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico 02:03. MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Investigators have released new video in the case of a young Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a South Beach hotel room during . Investigators are trying to determine whether the victim's death resulted from a "green pill" the men supplied, but the Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office said Monday it is conducting further tests, and no cause of death has been determined pending a toxicology report. Kopta, a street preacher known as "The Sparrow," was reported missing by her husband in 1992 and was found in Puerto Rico, March 3, 2023. Christine . The men are accused of stealing the dead woman's credit cards to help fund their South Beach vacation, the report says. If the drug they are alleged to have given to Englehardt is proven to have played a role in her death, they could also be facing a manslaughter or murder charge. Police went as far as to consult a psychic, while Kopta recalled his wife once mentioned she would like to go to Puerto Rico because of its balmy weather. Meanwhile, Patricia Kopta apparently was wandering the island's northern towns of Naranjito, Corozal and Toa Alta, located just southwest of the capital of San Juan. I thought maybe she had died.. Ad Choices. Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say, Brian Laundrie was 'emotional bully,' Petito family lawsuit says, Pa. woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico. "I went through a lot," said Bob Kopta, a retired truck driver. To think she went through what she went through, it's sickening; it's sick," DiFrancesco said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. Surveillance video reportedly shows two men entering the Albion Hotel with the victim and later leaving without her. Investigators are looking into whether Engelhardt died of a drug overdose, possibly a substance supplied by the men, who said they gave her a green pill," according to an arrest report. He gave her and her friends a ride and fell in love. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office did not release a cause of death. "She was the person you brought in that lit up the whole room. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Stories Business Insider GOP Gov. Her laugh was the most contagious laugh," said DiFrancesco. Authorities are trying to determine if she died of an overdose from a pill the men allegedly gave her. Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer', 2 men accused of drugging, raping Bucks County woman found dead in Miami hotel room. "Miami Beach, we have blood on our hands. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Every time theyd find a body somewhere (I wondered), Is it Patricia? accused of drugging and raping a 24-year-old woman later found dead in her hotel room. Investigators believe the suspects gave the victim a green pill to drug her. According to authorities, the body of Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found on March 18. He obtained a death declaration about seven years after her disappearance. All rights reserved, died after being drugged and raped in a Miami Beach hotel room. READ MORE: https://t.co/ztb0ZFkRk1 pic.twitter.com/t1XgY71lAe. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, were both charged with burglary with assault or battery; sexual battery; credit card fraud; and theft. RELATED: Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. In partnership with He gave her and her friends a ride and fell in love. Miami Beach police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found barricaded in a hotel room she reportedly shared with her now-missing boyfriend. By Antonio Planas and The Associated Press. MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room after two men drugged and raped her last week, police said. Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. "She could have come home at any time. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Alleged Miami Beach Serial Rapist Facing More Charges After 5th Accuser Comes Forward. The men are accused of drugging, sexually assaulting and stealing from 24-year-old Christine Englehardt, who was later found dead in her Miami Beach hotel room. Five-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes anchors WPLG-Local 10's 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. But before she began preaching, Kopta was a straight-A student who became a model and dance instructor. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with "delusions of grandeur" and said she had signs of schizophrenia. The Miami Herald quotes the police report: The fact that the victim was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics, she could not have consented to sex with the defendants.. Soldier Gets 45 Years for Helping Neo-Nazi Group in Plot to Kill Troops, Jan. 6 Rioter Guilty of Stealing Badge and Radio From Beaten Officer, From Haiti Through Liberty City to Top Federal Prosecutor in South Florida: the Unlikely Story of Markenzy Lapointe, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. Englehardt is a graduate of Council Rock High School North and was a manager at Jules Thin Crust Pizza in Newtown. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, then allegedly stole her phone and credit cards, using them to fund their South Beach vacation, police said. Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person "in need" to the . Bob Kopta, who did not remarry, said he doesnt plan to visit, and that hes now trying to forget the past, though hes glad to know shes being taken care of. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.