Mexican officials are now claiming the California defender, who fell to his death earlier this month, tried to scare away noisy pigeons outside his hotel room – while his grieving widow squanders those claims and insists he was violently murdered.
Elliot Blair, 33, was found dead outside the couple’s hotel room in Rosarito Beach at Las Rocas Resort and Spa on Saturday. Blair and his wife Kimberly Williams celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary.
Baja California Attorney General Ricardo Ivan Carpio Sanchez called Blair’s fall from an open-air hallway “a horrifying case.” He claimed Blair’s wife, Kimberly Williams, told them her husband was drawn to the noisy birds outside their third-floor room at the four-star resort, The Orange County Register reported.
But the Blair family angrily denied those claims on Wednesday, calling them “categorically false” and insisting their loved one was killed in a brutal crime while wearing a T-shirt, underwear and socks.
“It is categorically false that Kim ever claimed that Elliot left her room that night to shoo away pigeons or in response to any noise,” the family said in a statement, according to the news outlet.
The family said Williams was asleep at the time of the incident.
Elliot Blair, 33 (centre), with his parents deny claims made by Mexican authorities, which they called “categorically false” on Wednesday, insisting their loved one was killed in a brutal crime
After the autopsy, officials from the Baja California Attorney General’s Office said Blair’s death appeared to be the “result of an unfortunate accident involving the now deceased falling from a third floor.”
But the family said Tuesday Blair’s death occurred in an open walkway outside the front door of her room and that his death was not the result of a fall from a balcony, Mexican officials said.
The family said in a previous statement that Mexican authorities, speaking through middlemen, had suggested on numerous occasions that Blair be cremated, but the family rejected the idea because they wanted an independent autopsy.
They also said Blair’s widow received “multiple versions of what happened with Elliot.”
The family added that a liaison with the coroner’s office told them an autopsy revealed Blair died as a result of severe head trauma.
They said the case would be referred to the prosecutor’s office to investigate a possible murder.
California private investigator John Jenkins, who has worked with Blair on several cases, told the New York Post that he will be investigating the case as a “cover-up.”
The couple were at the resort to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. The family said they had stayed there many times and were familiar with the layout of the hotel.
David Scarsone, an attorney for Blair’s family, said they remain in doubt that he just fell off the balcony and are conducting their own investigation.
“There are many unanswered questions,” Scarsone said. ‘[The family] pushes back this conclusion [by Mexican authorities].’
Family and colleagues said on a GoFundMe page for Blair that he was “tragically killed” and died of a “brutal crime”.
In a brief statement, Mexican authorities said they are investigating his death and are in contact with American authorities through the US Department of Justice and the FBI, who in turn are informing Blair’s family.
Orange County Public Defender Martin Schwarz told The OC Register, “We have been in communication with the family and are doing what we can to support them during this difficult time, including working with local and federal officials to give them comfort.” help provide answers.”
Elliot Blair (pictured), 33, of Orange, was spotted under a third-floor balcony at the Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito Beach early Saturday
Pictured: Las Rocas Resort and Spa at Rosarito Beach
“Elliot was known for having a smile on his face and a bright mind. There aren’t enough words to express the level of love he had for Kim. Kim was his life,” said the GoFundMe page set up in Blair’s memory
Blair and his wife Kimberly Williams, who is also an assistant public defender, were at the resort for their one-year wedding anniversary
Pictured: Blair’s wedding. In a brief statement, Mexican authorities said they are investigating his death and are in contact with American authorities through the US Department of Justice and the FBI, who in turn are informing Blair’s family
At around 1:15 am on January 14, authorities were notified that Blair had fallen from the balcony of the Las Rocas hotel in the town of Rosarito, south of Tijuana and adjacent to the Tijuana-Ensenada highway.
Local news site Patrulla 646 Código Rojo reported that hotel workers informed authorities about the accident. After police arrived, paramedics showed up and pronounced him dead, sources said.
The preliminary report suggested Blair was showing signs of drinking at the time of the fall, the news site added. Employees of the Attorney General’s Office dealt with the removal of the body and conducted investigations.
A Facebook page dedicated to sharing news from the Rosarito area, Rosarito en la Noticia, shared an account of what had happened, noting that information was withheld by local authorities, citing reports in the OC register.
As of Thursday night, the GoFundMe page set up in Blair’s memory has generated nearly $13,000 in donations, surpassing its original goal of $100,000.
The funds raised will be used to help Williams transport Blair’s body from Mexico to the US and deal with all the paperwork, the organizer said.
Blair was “a compassionate attorney who dedicated his life to serving clients in need,” according to a post on GofundMe.
“Elliot was known as a patient and caring advocate. He was the best of us and loved by countless members of our office and the Orange County legal community. We are heartbroken.’
The Post said Blair would now be with his father Tom, who died two years ago.
“Elliot and Tom were tough as thieves,” they said. “They spent countless hours together in the garage working on cars, dirt bikes and beach buggies.”
The post added, “Elliot was known for having a smile on his face and a bright mind. There aren’t enough words to express the level of love he had for Kim. Kim was his life.
“They just started building a life together in the first year of their marriage. Elliot was killed on their one year wedding anniversary. Kim’s heart is broken.”
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