"Whether she knows me or not, I still want to see her and give her a hug and tell her I love her," Smith said. 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. "This is the last person I would ever think this would happen to. I thought maybe she had died.. Warner Bros. Entertainment | May 18, 2021 / 6:48 PM / CBS Miami. Her husband, Bob Kopta, and her surviving sister, 78-year-old Gloria Smith. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with delusions of grandeur and said she had signs of schizophrenia. Missing Pennsylvania woman found alive after more than 30 years. 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. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. But before she began preaching, Kopta was a straight-A student who became a model and dance instructor. To think she went through what she went through, it's sickening; it's sick," DiFrancesco said. "She would always hang out down in Pittsburgh where things were going on. "This is the last person I would ever think this would happen to. She then got a job as an elevator operator at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. In 1972, they married. She was a . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Kohlhepp said those who knew her in Puerto Rico finally made the connection and contacted Ross Township police, CBS Pittsburgh reported. Englehardt came from Pennsylvania to Miami Beach for spring break. "She said something about seeing an angel there," Smith recalled. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | "It is just very sad to see someone die so young, she didn't deserve it, it was horrible," Khamermesh. According to police, the body of Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found on March 18. I went through a lot, said Bob Kopta, a retired truck driver. 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. Smith said her sister quit her job at the glass company after 10 years because of migraines that doctors blamed on stress. She always said she wanted to go to a warm climate," he said. The two men are accused of going with the woman to her hotel, where they had sex with her multiple times and once she was unconscious or out the suspects remained inside the unit and didnt call for assistance or help and began to take all her items, WPLG reports. Her family said she suffered from mental health issues and feared being institutionalized, CBS Pittsburgh reported. 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. March 3, 2023 / 2:29 PM According to police records, surveillance footage showed the two men entering the hotel lobby Englehardt, at about 1 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, then exiting the hotel without Englehardt about 30 minutes later. Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. Miami Beach's commission meets and decides to extend a curfew and causeway closures for at least the next three weekends while out-of-town crowds gather in the city. Crowds continue to pack South Beach and even with an 8 p.m. curfew, law enforcement has their hands full. She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61. The medical examiner has not made a ruling on the cause of death as toxicology results are pending, officials said. I didn't believe it. ___ AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed from New York. He obtained a death declaration about seven years after her disappearance. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Police are investigating a woman found shot dead in her car early Thursday morning in East Salem. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with "delusions of grandeur" and said she had signs of schizophrenia. By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. Investigators say she was drugged and raped by two men. 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. She had her whole life still to do things and she had dreams and goals and all these things shell never be able to do now because of them., Investigators say the two men met their victim at a restaurant, gave her a green pill and went to her hotel where they had sex with her multiple times and once she was unconscious or out the suspects remained inside the unit and didnt call for assistance or help and began to take all her items.. Whether she knows me or not, I still want to see her and give her a hug and tell her I love her, Smith said. Bob Kopta reported his wife, Patricia, missing in 1992. A possible drug overdose was suspected. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. According to police, the body of Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found on March 18. Two North Carolina men are accused of drugging and raping the Pennsylvania woman. 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. "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. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead at the Albion Hotel on James Avenue in Miami Beach on Thursday, March 18. On Friday night, publicist Nick D'Annunzio organized a vigil to honor the memory of Englehardt, according to ABC affiliate WPLG. Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. When she first was taken in at the adult home, she had hinted that she had arrived in Puerto Rico via a cruise ship from Europe, Kohlhepp said. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Alleged Miami Beach Serial Rapist Facing More Charges After 5th Accuser Comes Forward. So he published ads in Puerto Rican newspapers, but never got a response. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. March 3, 2023, 4:10 PM PST. The Miami Herald reports Collier confessed to police that he and Taylor met the woman at a local restaurant. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner told Action News that Englehardt's cause of death is "pending further studies and investigation.". D'Annunzio never met Englehardt, but he said the news of her death really affected him. 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. (Ross Township Police . Updated: Mar 3, 2023 / 02:26 PM EST. Sign up to receive breaking True Crime Daily news, exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes info. Miami Beach police arrested Dorian Taylor, 24, and Evoire Collier, 21, both from North Carolina and visiting for spring break, according to investigators. . "When your wife goes missing, you're a suspect.". Years went by with no sign of her. Ad Choices. When your wife goes missing, youre a suspect.. Is it Patricia?. Her husband, Bob Kopta, and her surviving sister, 78-year-old Gloria Smith. "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. Miami Beach police say the woman was found partly nude and lifeless inside her room at the Albion on James Avenue on Thursday. 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.. Every time theyd find a body somewhere (I wondered), Is it Patricia? Police found the body of Marelbi Ruiz Lara, 47, inside a room at the Sherry Frontenac Hotel on Collins Avenue in Miami beach on Tuesday evening, after a coworker called for a welfare . The victim was identified by authorities as 24-year-old. Theyre also accused of stealing her credit cards and using them at several locations across Miami Beach. A possible drug overdose was suspected. A Pennsylvania "street preacher" who mysteriously disappeared more than three decades ago was found alive in a nursing home in Puerto Rico, authorities and her family said Friday. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach. Samantha DiFrancesco, a close friend of Englehardt's, said she was a "genuinely good person.". 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. Christine Englehardt, 24, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was found dead at the Albion Hotel in Miami Beach on March 18, 2021. 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. By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. "Miami Beach, we have blood on our hands. Kopta, now 86, recalled how they met near a river in Pittsburgh where he had a boat. Its a sad thing, but its a relief off my mind, her husband said. Investigators believe the suspects gave the victim a green pill to drug her. 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. Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. Englehardt is a graduate of Council Rock High School North and was a manager at Jules Thin Crust Pizza in Newtown, Pennsylvania. If investigators find the pill that led to her death, the suspects could face manslaughter or murder charges. Smith, on the other hand, wants to go to the island to see her older sister. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Eagles' WR Zach Pascal Robbed and Assaulted at Gunpoint in Maryland, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. She said something about seeing an angel there, Smith recalled. Christine . Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. She says shes been unable to speak to the elder sibling on the phone because she cannot hold a conversation given her dementia. If investigators find the pill led to her death, the suspects could face manslaughter or murder charges. All rights reserved. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. Collier and Taylor will reportedly be arraigned in about three weeks. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters. A pair of tourists in South Beach for spring break have been charged with drugging and raping a woman who was later found dead in a hotel. MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) A woman was found dead at a Florida hotel after she was allegedly drugged and raped by two spring breakers who stole her credit cards to spend money on their trip, police said. Former U.S. According to authorities, the body of Christine Englehardt was found last Thursday. Whether the two are charged with manslaughter or murder will depend on what caused her death, which a medical examiner has not yet released. In recent weeks, South Beach has seen brawls, crowd stampedes and police confrontations involving the use of pepper balls.. RELATED: Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. filled in details of Kopta's life at the news conference and in telephone interviews Friday with The Associated Press. Both men matched the description given to police and were stopped and detained by detectives Sunday. ", First published on March 3, 2023 / 2:29 PM. By Antonio Planas and The Associated Press. She just loved the ocean, the beach, the warm sunshine, Smith told the AP. Smith, on the other hand, wants to go to the island to see her older sister. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with delusions of grandeur and said she had signs of schizophrenia. According to the Miami Herald: The arrests come as Miami Beach police and city officials have been grappling with the overwhelming spring break crowds, instituting an 8 p.m. curfew aimed at cracking down on rowdy revelers on the streets. 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. Five-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes anchors WPLG-Local 10's 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. 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. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. She then got a job as an elevator operator at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Every time they'd find a body somewhere (I wondered), 'Is it Patricia? Two men were arrested after the 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead in a South Beach hotel during spring break. 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. He gave her and her friends a ride and fell in love. The victim was identified by authorities as 24-year-old Christine Englehardt from Pennsylvania. It just breaks your heart when you know she was a genuinely good person who would do anything for anybody. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. I thought maybe she had died.. -- 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. Patricia Kopta, a well-known Pittsburgh street preacher known as "The Sparrow," was found alive in Puerto Rico more than three decades after she went missing. 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. The disappearance stumped authorities and family alike. According to authorities, the body of Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found on March 18. Smith, on the other hand, wants to go to the island to see her older sister. Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. Englehardt is a graduate of Council Rock High School North and was a manager at Jules Thin Crust Pizza in Newtown. The men are also accused of stealing her cell phone, cash and credit cards once Englehardt was unconscious, according to a judge. That's when family members noticed a change in her. She says she's been unable to speak to the elder sibling on the phone because she cannot hold a conversation, given her dementia. Two North Carolina men face charges in the case. 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. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. "Shock. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. Mourners laid flowers in a vigil Friday for the Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room. The Marion County Sheriff's Office did not name the woman . 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. ___ AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed from New York. They are charged with sexual battery as well. Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. MIAMI (WPVI) -- 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. All Rights Reserved. He gave her and her friends a ride and fell in love. Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. MIAMI (WPVI) -- 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. 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. To think that someone would do this to her, she was young too, said Hailey Davis, the victims friend. 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. It worked. If that is determined to be the case, the suspects could face a manslaughter or murder charge. Online jail records did not indicate whether the two had an attorney who could speak for them. She was 24 years old. She was a . 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. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally . When there was a baseball game going on, when a concert was going on, she would be talking to people," Bob Kopta said about his wife. 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. One of the Miami Beach detectives on the case testified at a bond hearing Monday and said that based on the surveillance footage, Englehardt was staggering and appeared to be in no condition to give any kind of consent prior to entering the hotel. It just breaks your heart when you know she was a genuinely good person who would do anything for anybody. She would vacation often in Puerto Rico with her friends before she got married, Smith recalled. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. Detectives obtained surveillance video showing them entering the Albion Hotel with the victim and later leaving without her. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, were both charged with burglary with assault or battery; sexual battery; credit card fraud; and theft. 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. 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. Police allege the suspects, from . Smith said her sister quit her job at the glass company after 10 years because of migraines that doctors blamed on stress. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "It's a sad thing, but it's a relief off my mind," her husband said. She would vacation often in Puerto Rico with her friends before she got married, Smith recalled. Surveillance cameras from the Albion Hotel in South Beach show her with the two men around 1 a.m. that morning. "We really thought she was dead all those years. Police allegedly found the womans phone and green pills in Taylors possession, the Herald reports. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. 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 . 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. Surveillance cameras from the Albion Hotel on James Avenue show her with the two men around 1 a.m. that morning. Meanwhile, Patricia Kopta apparently was wandering the islands northern towns of Naranjito, Corozal and Toa Alta, located just southwest of the capital of San Juan. The Medical Examiner has not made a ruling on the cause of death as they are still awaiting toxicology results, officials said. Strangers leave roses in front of the hotel where police say a female tourist was drugged, raped and left to die @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/NtnnzwSUZS. MIAMI BEACH, Florida (WPVI) -- Residents in Miami Beach, Florida held a vigil on Friday night to honor a Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a hotel room earlier this month. 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. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Kopta, now 86, recalled how they met near a river in Pittsburgh where he had a boat.