Two men behind bars in Florida could face homicide charges in connection with a young woman’s Spring Break death.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 21-year-old Christine Engelhardt, of Pennsylvania, died inside her hotel room at the Miami Beach Albion Hotel in March. Police arrested Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, both of Greensboro, North Carolina, in connection with Engelhardt’s death.
According to court documents, the suspects are accused of drugging Engelhardt, then raping her inside her hotel room. First responders found the victim alone, semi-naked, and unresponsive in her hotel room. They rushed her to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators obtained security footage that ultimately led to the suspects. Both men are from North Carolina and were reportedly in Florida to start music careers.
Miami Herald reports that an autopsy made public Monday indicated that Englehardt died while lying in a “prone position” while under the influence of alcohol and fentanyl. The toxicology reported that the drug “was ingested and rapidly fatal.”
Collier reportedly admitted to investigators that he “met a girl” at a restaurant. He said he later walked down Ocean Drive with Taylor and the victim and saw Taylor give Englehardt a “green pill” with “30” marked on it.
The detective added that Collier confessed he walked to the victim’s hotel room with Taylor, with the intention of having sex with her. Alsina testified that security footage on the night in question showed Taylor holding the victim from behind because she was too intoxicated to walk straight.
“She was actually staggering a little bit, and at one point co-defendant Taylor held her, behind her, around her neck, basically keeping her stable. We believe she was either intoxicated or drugged, and she could not give consent for them to actually go with her,” Miami Beach Detective Luis Alsinae previously said.
State Attorney’s spokesman Ed Griffith said that homicide charges against the suspects “are being investigated.”
Both suspects remain behind bars on sexual battery, burglary with battery, credit card fraud, and petty theft charges. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Christine Englehardt/Facebook]