Melissa Britt Lewis MSG [FOUND DECEASED] From Plantation, FL Since 03/05/08

[Grande]

Mar 7, 2008 7:26 am US/Eastern
Mystery Surrounds Missing Plantation Woman

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PLANTATION (CBS4) ― Police in Plantation are looking for a missing woman who lived alone and hasn't been heard from since Wednesday night.

Police say Melissa Britt Lewis has practiced as a lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale for several years. Her friends last heard from her Wednesday night when she went to Publix and then went back home at 7420 Plantation Road.

When police got to the home they found signs of a struggle in her garage and her 2007 Black Cadillac SRX missing. Thursday, at 3 PM, Lewis's vehicle was located in a parking lot at 7500 NW 5th Street—blocks away from her home. Melissa's whereabouts are still unknown.

"We're all just devastated," said friend Debra Villegas. "She has such a small world. To those that she is close to she is everything."

If you know where Melissa Britt Lewis may be, police urge you to call Broward County Crimestoppers: 954-493-TIPS.

http://cbs4.com/local/Melissa.Britt.Lewis.2.671736.html

[Grande]

Police Suspect Foul Play In Case Of Missing Woman
UPDATED: 11:38 pm EST March 6, 2008

PLANTATION, Fla. -- Police asked for the public's help to find a Plantation woman who was reported missing

An investigation into the disappearance revealed that there may have been foul play.

Melissa Britt Lewis, a recent divorcee, disappeared, leaving behind signs of foul play. There was no blood, but police said there was evidence of a struggle.

Investigators at the scene at Lewis' home at 7420 Plantation Road late Thursday night gathered evidence of what they described as a suspicious missing person's case.

The woman's best friend spoke with NBC 6 and said she hopes her words will help find Lewis.

"She's my dearest friend in the world," Debra Villegas said. "Come home. If you know anything, please call (police)."

Investigators said the blond-haired, brown-eyed woman was last seen on Wednesday night grocery shopping at the Publix at 6921 West Broward Blvd. just blocks away from her front door.

Lewis, who works as an attorney, never reported to work the next morning. That's when her co-workers called her family and her family called police.

"It's tough for everybody," Villegas said. "Her mom and her sister are very worried about her."

Detectives said they discovered Lewis' 2007 black Cadillac SRX abandoned within walking distance of her home.

Lewis was last seen wearing a brown and burgundy pinstripe suit with brown heels.

Anyone who has any information on her whereabouts should call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

http://www.nbc6.net/news/15521151/detail.html

[Grande]

Police search for missing Plantation woman
By Sallie James | Sun-Sentinel.com
9:34 AM EST, March 7, 2008

PLANTATION - A 39-year-old woman has gone missing, and police say her disappearance is suspicious.

Melissa Britt Lewis, of the 7400 block of Plantation Road, did not show up for work on Thursday and a check of her garage revealed signs of a struggle, according to police. There was no indication of who would want to harm her, said Plantation police spokesman Philip Toman.

At about 3 p.m. on Thursday, her 2007 black Cadillac SRX was found abandoned in a parking lot at 7500 NW Fifth Street, police said.

Lewis' last known whereabouts were at 7:36 p.m. Wednesday at the Publix grocery store at 6921 W. Broward Blvd, police said. She was last seen wearing a brown pants suit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps. Police reviewed surveillance tape from the supermarket and found nothing suspicious, Toman said.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen Lewis or might have information regarding her whereabouts to call them at 954-797-2100 or anonymously contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-307missing,0,3875377.story

[Grande]

Missing Attorney's Cadillac Found Abandoned
Woman Doesn't Show Up For Work; Police Suspect Foul Play
POSTED: 7:59 am EST March 7, 2008

PLANTATION, Fla. -- Plantation police are searching for a civil attorney who was reported missing after she failed to show up for work Thursday.

At about 12:30 p.m., police responded to the home of Melissa Britt Lewis, located at 7420 Plantation Rd., after co-workers said she didn't show up at the firm where she works in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

When police arrived, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SRX were missing, but Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there were "definite signs of some type of foul play" in her garage.

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot at a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

"Melissa was not there," Toman said. "There was no reason for the vehicle to be there."

Lewis' best friend, Debra Villegas, said she works with Lewis and talks to her "every single day, all day." She said Lewis, who lives alone, "doesn't have any adversity with anybody."

"Obviously, we're very concerned and we want her to come home," Villegas said.

Lewis was last seen Wednesday night at a Publix located at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. She was wearing a brown pantsuit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps.

"We are handling this as a missing person, but there are circumstances that are obviously raising some suspicion," Toman said.

Lewis' mother and sister live in West Palm Beach.

Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

http://www.local10.com/news/15523780/detail.html

[Grande]

Mar 7, 2008 9:19 am US/Eastern
Woman's Body Found In Plantation Canal

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PLANTATION (CBS4) ― Plantation police are investigating the discovery of a woman's body found in a canal near a pump house.

Police and Fire Rescue were called out to 8800 New River Canal Road on Friday morning when water management workers spotted the woman's body in the water around 7:15 a.m.

The body was fully clothed.

Police called out a dive team to recover the body and search for any other remains or clues that may be in the water.

Police have not said that the body found in the water Friday morning is connected to missing Plantation woman Melissa Lewis.

Lewis, a lawyer, went missing Wednesday night after returning home from a trip to a nearby Publix Supermarket.

Police say they found signs of a struggle inside her garage and her 2007 Black Cadillac SRX was missing. The vehicle was found Thursday afternoon in a parking lot at 7500 NW 5th Street, just blocks from her home.

http://cbs4.com/local/Plantation.Body.Found.2.671768.html

[Grande]

Dismembered Body Found In Plantation Canal
Body Found Near Missing Attorney's Home
POSTED: 8:44 am EST March 7, 2008

PLANTATION, Fla. -- Police are investigating the discovery of a dismembered body found in a canal just a few miles from a missing attorney's home.

What appeared to be the torso of a body was discovered at about 7:30 a.m. Friday near an old water treatment facility in the 8800 block of North New River Canal Road.

Police have not confirmed if the investigation is connected to the disappearance of Melissa Britt Lewis, who was reported missing after co-workers said she didn't show up for work.

When police arrived at her home, located at 7420 Plantation Road, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SRX were missing. Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there were "definite signs of some type of foul play" in her garage.

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot at a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

Lewis was last seen Wednesday night at a Publix located at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. She was wearing a brown pantsuit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps.

http://www.local10.com/news/15524107/detail.html

[Audie]

Police Confirm Missing Attorney's Body Found
Law Firm Where Plantation Woman Worked Offers Large Reward
POSTED: 8:44 am EST March 7, 2008
UPDATED: 7:10 pm EST March 7, 2008

PLANTATION, Fla. -- Police have confirmed that the body of a woman found in a canal is that of a missing attorney. Meanwhile, the law firm where she worked is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the woman's slaying.

The body was discovered at about 7:15 a.m. Friday when water management employees were cleaning a canal near a water treatment facility near Pine Island and Interstate 595, just a few miles from where Melissa Britt Lewis lived.

"Today our hearts are broken. There are no words to express the sadness, as we have been informed by the Plantation Police Department that the body of our firm's partner, Melissa B. Lewis, was found nearby her Plantation home," said Stuart Rosenfeldt, founding partner and president of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler, in a statement.

Lewis had been with Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler since the firm's opening in 2002, starting with the principals of the firm as a law student at Nova Southeastern University.

"She was a true superstar with her vivacious personality, compassion and intellect. She developed into an extremely well respected litigator and lawyer. Melissa was well respected by her judges and peers," said Rosenfeldt.

Lewis was reported missing after co-workers said she didn't show up for work Thursday.

When police arrived at her home, located at 7420 Plantation Road, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SUV were missing. Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there appeared to be "signs of a struggle that took place inside the garage."

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot behind a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

Lewis was last seen Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on surveillance video taken at a Publix located at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. She was wearing a brown pantsuit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps. Lewis divorced her husband last year and lived alone in the home, Local 10 reported.

Local 10 asked investigators if the woman's slaying could in any way be related to a kidnapping and the slaying of a mother and daughter at Boca Town Center.

A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department confirmed that members of their task force investigating those incidents have been in touch with Plantation police.

"We are working with them, but so far they have found no correlation between the two cases. We are continuing to work with them," said Sgt. Pete Palenzuela.

An autopsy is expected to be performed over the weekend to determine Lewis's cause of death.

Crimestoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.

http://www.local10.com/news/15524107/detail.html?rss=mia&psp=news

[Texas53]

How horrible. I wonder if her demise has anything to do with the ex, a very unhappy client, or just a random act. Regardless, to dismember a person shows or indicates there was extreme rage. (I hope yall know what I'm trying to say.)

For her friends and family :1222423:

[nanabillie]

I agree Texas!! I don't think a stranger would take time to dismember someone, either. Sad to say, but our "friends and loved ones' are more likely, I think to do such a terrible act.

[KittyMom]

So, where exactly was she dismembered at? In her garage or maybe, possibly the medical center?

[Grande]

Plantation woman's relatives plead for help in finding her killer
Plantation woman's family seeks help to catch her killer
By Macollvie Jean-François and Jennifer Gollan | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 10, 2008

Plantation - Sunday morning, Melissa Britt Lewis' family ate biscuits and gravy, one of her favorite dishes, to honor the memory of the amateur gourmet cook.

"This week, our hearts have been torn from our bodies with the loss of our beloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece and cousin," her aunt, Lynn Haberl, said hours later outside Lewis' sprawling corner home in the 7400 block of Plantation Road. "Melissa's brutal, senseless, violent death has left a huge black hole in our world. Her family, friends and co-workers are pleading with this community to help find this ruthless killer."

Lewis, 39, a partner with the Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm in Fort Lauderdale, disappeared Wednesday night after leaving a Publix store on Broward Boulevard, police said. On Friday morning, her body was found floating in a canal on the north side of a pump station near Pine Island Road and State Road 84. Robbery may have been the motive, said Detective Phil Toman, Plantation police spokesman.

Lewis apparently put up a fight, given the amount of pepper spray in her black Cadillac SUV, later found abandoned in a parking lot a mile from her house.

The death does not appear to be connected to recent killings in Palm Beach County, Toman said. Detectives investigating recent mall slayings and abductions in Boca Raton had checked with Plantation to see whether Lewis' death had any similarities, Toman said.

The Broward Medical Examiner has completed an autopsy, but Toman said Sunday that divulging the findings would jeopardize the investigation.

Lewis' family thinks she may have been targeted, because she was very cautious, carried pepper spray, had alarms in her car and alarms and two dogs at home, where she lived alone. Missy, as they called her, was strong-willed, worked to put herself through college and law school and had just reached her goal of a law firm partnership. She was aiming to become a judge, they said.

Relatives ran family decisions by her. The "commander of family vacations" was in the midst of planning a trip to Disney World, according to Haberl's husband, Fred Haberl, of Lakeland. Lynn Haberl called Lewis "the natural choice to become the next matriarch" of their family.

As Haberl spoke, tears ran down the cheeks of Lewis' niece, Sheila Godinez, 11. Lewis' sister, Carrie Fisher, sniffled continually and Fisher's teary-eyed fiance put his arm around her shoulders. Lewis' mother, Lisa LaPointe, of Boynton Beach, gave way to body-wracking sobs after recounting how her daughter would call nightly with compliments about a favorite dish.

"She was our shining star," the aunt said. "She adored all her family and she fought valiantly for them. Please call police."

Lewis' firm is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

"Wherever you are out there, you will be found, you will pay for this," Haberl said at Sunday's news conference, which the family had requested.

Toman said detectives had received 15 tips from Crime Stoppers and worked through the weekend to find more clues. He said anyone who has seen the red Prada handbag Lewis was carrying or any suspicious activity around her 2007 Cadillac SRX, which was found in a parking lot at 7500 NW Fifth St., should call police.

Recent crimes such as attacks on a few female victims at a Boca Raton mall have prompted women to turn to self-defense courses, experts said.

"Since the beginning of the year, there has definitely been more interest from women inquiring about classes," said Betty Helms, 40, who teaches self-defense classes for women at the Southwest Focal Point Senior Center in Pembroke Pines. "I think a lot of it has to do with what people are seeing on the news. Lately, what has been happening at the malls hits home."

Luis Gutierrez, who teaches at One Dragon Martial Arts in Pembroke Pines, said instructors in large cities across the country tell him they have seen an uptick in attacks on women.

"Unfortunately, a lot of women must be personally affected before they take a class," Gutierrez said. "Either they are attacked or know someone who is attacked. If you don't prepare yourself, you are more likely to become a victim."

Helms conducts rape aggression defense courses at Southwest Focal Point. Students learn to kick, punch and elbow their way out of assaults.

"The key is having an action plan," Helms said. "It is the panic-stricken woman that an attacker is looking to overpower."

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 954-493-8477.

Macollvie Jean-François can be reached at mjfrancois @sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7922.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbplantation0310sbmar10,0,6177975.story

[Grande]

Police hunt for woman's slayer
The family of a Broward attorney who was killed said that they were anguished and frustrated, and searching for answers.
Posted on Mon, Mar. 10, 2008
BY DIANA MOSKOVITZ
dmoskovitz@MiamiHerald.com

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MIAMI HERALD FILE PHOTO

Dozens of tips have come in from the Crime Stoppers phone line.

But police have more questions than answers in the death of a 39-year-old attorney whose body was found in a canal last week.

Melissa Britt Lewis was last seen alive Wednesday, leaving a Publix supermarket in Plantation. Her body was found Friday in the canal near Pine Island Road and Interstate 595.

Plantation police detectives spent the weekend canvassing the neighborhood where she lived and the Publix at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. where she was last seen.

The Broward County Medical Examiner's office has determined how Lewis was killed, but police won't release the cause of death for fear it will interfere with the search for her killer.

''We don't want to jeopardize the investigation,'' Plantation Detective Philip Toman said late Sunday. ``We're checking out every one that comes in. We're following up on a lot of active leads.''

He added that there had been no activity on Lewis' credit cards or ATM card.

Meanwhile, her family pleaded for anyone with information to come forward.

Sunday, her family spoke of their anguish and frustration.

''We're getting angry now, and there are no answers to anything. No reason why. No rhyme or reason,'' her aunt Lynn Haberl said.

Haberl read a statement Sunday asking for help from anyone who could bring investigators closer to Lewis' killer.

``This is not a person who was involved in anything in her life that needed this kind of treatment.''

Lewis lived in Plantation, and so far police believe the crime happened in her garage.

'This week our hearts have been torn from our bodies, with the loss of our beloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin Melissa `Missy' Lewis,'' Haberl's statement said. ``She was our shining star, she made our entire world a better place to live, because of her optimistic love of life and family.''

Lewis was a high school dropout.

She was born and raised in Jacksonville, then spent 10 years in community college working different jobs.

Later, she enrolled in Nova Southeastern University's law school and interned at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler in Fort Lauderdale.

After graduating in 2000, she was hired at the firm and practiced labor and employment law.

She was named a partner at the Las Olas Boulevard firm three months ago.

Stuart Rosenfeldt, founding partner and president in the law firm, said previously that none of Lewis' current cases involved clients who would cause her harm.

It was when Lewis didn't show up for work Thursday morning and missed a few appointments that her co-worker and best friend began to worry.

Now, a $251,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in her death.

On Sunday, Haberl said the family was still in shock at the loss of Lewis, whom she described as ``the rock of our family.''

''It's horrible,'' Haberl said.

``We're just holding on.''

Anyone with information about Lewis' disappearance is asked to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Miami Herald staff writer Jennifer Lebovich contributed to this report.

http://www.miamiherald.com/467/story/450494.html

[Grande]

Attorney's Family: Killer 'Will Be Found'
Woman's Body Found In Canal Near Where She Lived
POSTED: 8:42 am EDT March 10, 2008

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PLANTATION, Fla. -- The family of a missing attorney whose body was found in a canal is asking for the public's help in finding her killer or killers and issued a warning to whomever is responsible.

Melissa Britt Lewis was reported missing after co-workers said she didn't show up for work Thursday. Her body was found the next day when water management employees were cleaning a canal near Pine Island and Interstate 595, just a few miles from where Lewis lived.

"Wherever you are out there, you will be found," said Lynn Haberl, Lewis' aunt, Sunday. "You will pay the price for this."

When police arrived at Lewis' home, located at 7420 Plantation Road, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SRX were missing. Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there appeared to be "signs of a struggle that took place inside the garage."

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot behind a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

Police said they believe someone followed Lewis home from the Publix at 6921 W. Broward Blvd., where she was last seen on surveillance video at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police said Publix bags were found in the garage.

Lewis was an attorney with Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler since the firm's opening in 2002, starting with the principals of the firm as a law student at Nova Southeastern University. She divorced her husband last year and lived alone in the home.

Police said her credit cards have not been used, but her pocketbook is still missing.

Lewis' law firm is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, in addition to a $1,000 reward being offered by Crime Stoppers.

Her cause of death has not yet been released.

http://www.local10.com/news/15551588/detail.html

[Grande]

Mar 9, 2008 10:29 pm US/Eastern
Attorney's Family Speaks Out About Unsolved Death
A Reward Of Up To $251,000 Is Being Offered.
Body Was Found At 8800 New River Canal Road

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PLANTATION (CBS4) ―

The family of local attorney found dead in a Plantation canal said they are shocked and heartbroken over her mysterious death. Tears flow on many as they try to express what Melissa Lewis meant to them.

In a statement released on Sunday, they ask the community to help them find the person responsible for her death.

"This week our hearts have torn from our bodies, with the loss of our beloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin Melissa "Missy" Lewis. She was our shining star, she made our entire world a better place to live, because of her optimistic love of life and family. She adored all her family and she fought for them. Missy will still be the inspiration for all young women. She would say "you don't have to settle for less, you can make your dreams come true. Work hard and you can accomplish anything you can put your heart and mind to." Melissa's brutal, senseless, violent death has left a huge black hole in our world. Her family, friends and coworkers are pleading with this community to help find this ruthless killer. There is more than 250 thousand dollars reward being offered for information leading to the arrest and convection of Missy's killer. Please call the police right away."

Lynn Haberl, Lewis' aunt.

The family said "Missy" was an ambitious, intelligent, driven woman working towards her dream to becoming a judge one day. She had already become a successful lawyer at the law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler.

On Saturday, volunteers handed out fliers in Plantation, with information about Lewis' in attempt to find the killer.

A reward of up to $251,000 is being offered for information to help solve her murder. What police aren't sure about at this time is whether she was followed home after she left a local Publix Supermarket Wednesday night, or whether she was targeted right at her home.

Police continue to pour over a constant flow of leads, but so far none has taken them to the killer.

Police and Fire Rescue were called out to 8800 New River Canal Road on Friday morning when water management workers spotted a woman's body in the water around 7:15 a.m. near a pump station. The body was fully clothed.

At least two police divers went into water to recover the body which police officials say was wedged because the pump house filters out and gathers weeds and other large objects. The Broward Medical Examiner also went to the scene as the body was removed from the water in a yellow tarp.

Lewis went missing Wednesday night after returning home from a trip to a Publix Supermarket located at Broward Boulevard and 69th Street. Friends said she was not married and lived a quiet life. She didn't have any children, and had gone through an amicable divorce about a year ago.

When she didn't show up for work on Thursday, family and friends panicked.

"We are all just devastated, she's just everything to me," said Debra Villegas, Lewis's friend.

Lewis' law firm called her a true superstar who had become a well respected lawyer in the field of wage and hour law, who worked for the Fraternal Order of Police.

"There is an absolute, crazy lunatic out there," said Scott Rothstein, Lewis' friend and co-worker. "Anyone that would hurt this woman is really a complete lost person, very dangerous."

Police say they found signs of a struggle inside her garage and her 2007 Black Cadillac SRX was missing. The vehicle was found Thursday afternoon in a parking lot at 7500 NW 5th Street, just blocks from her home.

The 39-year-old victim's niece was the last person to talk with her on the phone while on her way home from Publix.

"It's kind of a scary thing to hear that someone that you lived within blocks of is reported missing," said Connie Sokolowski, one of Lewis' neighbors. "Is disturbing, is quite disturbing."

The law firm where "Missy" worked released the following statement regarding the death of their coworker:

"She was a true superstar with her vivacious personality, compassion and intellect, she developed into an extremely well respected litigator and lawyer. Melissa was well respected by her judges and peers."

If you have any information that may help police catch the killer, please call Broward Crimestoppers: 954-493-TIPS.

http://cbs4.com/local/Plantation.Body.Found.2.673254.html

[Grande]

Murder charge leaves man's family in disbelief
The family of Tony Villegas, the man accused of killing a Fort Lauderdale lawyer, said he's a loving caretaker for his kids and could not commit violence.
Posted on Mon, Mar. 17, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY DIANA MOSKOVITZ AND JENNIFER LEBOVICH
dmoskovitz@MiamiHerald.com

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Family and friends of Tony Villegas portray him as a family man who loved the simple life of cooking for his kids and spending time at home.

Plantation police portray him as the man who killed his wife's best friend. If a motive has been determined, it has not been released.

On Sunday, Villegas' mother, Aida Villegas, said through a family spokesperson that the police have it all wrong. Her son, she said, is a hardworking man trying to cope with life as a single dad while going through a divorce.

''He's been a very caring guy, a very hardworking guy. A family man. A good son,'' she said.

Villegas, 44, was in a Miami-Dade County jail on Sunday, charged with murdering lawyer Melissa Lewis of Plantation. He is expected to appear in Miami-Dade bond court on Monday.

Plantation police have said they have ''overwhelming'' evidence tying Villegas to Lewis' killing, but they have not made public any details -- including a motive or how she died.

It was Villegas' estranged wife, Debra Villegas, who reported Lewis missing March 6 when she didn't show up at the Fort Lauderdale law firm where they both worked. Lewis' body was found the next morning floating in a canal near Pine Island Road and State Road 84.

Tony Villegas ''is not a violent person,'' said childhood friend Luis Castineiras of Hialeah, who said the two have known each other since Villegas was 7 years old.

Villegas worked at the Florida East Coast Railway, hooking and unhooking the cars -- something defense lawyer Michael Walsh calls ``a grimy job.''

He worked the night shift while his wife worked during the day as the chief operating officer at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler on Las Olas Boulevard.

''He took care of the kids,'' Castineiras said.

Villegas stopped by to see him Friday and said someone had stopped by his FEC job and took pictures of him from the waist up without his shirt, Castineiras said.

They also took his Corvette.

Villegas did not specifically say it was the police, Castineiras said.

Castineiras said he offered to lend him a car, but Villegas declined.

'He said, `I don't know if I'll get arrested tonight.' ''

Castineiras said he asked Villegas why he would get arrested. Villegas replied that it had to do with Lewis' death.

''He said he didn't do anything,'' Castineiras said.

Castineiras and Villegas would take their kids to McDonald's or the park.

''He always wanted to have sons like me,'' Castineiras said Sunday, standing outside the one-story home just east of Hialeah where Villegas' parents live. ``He was always dying to have sons to play ball.''

Villegas had two sons, ages 14 and 11, and adopted Debra's two older daughters from a previous relationship.

Family members said he cooked the meals at home and changed his work schedule to nights so he could spend time with the kids.

Castineiras said the guys played racquetball together.

It was a far different life than his wife's world of lawyers and parties.

The couple, married since 1994, eventually grew apart and separated. He moved out about two years ago, leaving her the house in Sunrise.

Divorce proceedings started in July 2007.

He saw his sons every other weekend.

''He was very sad because he missed his kids,'' Aida Villegas said through the spokesperson. ``He was always a father and mother to those kids. His kids are his life.'

Walsh said his client told him that on the night of Lewis' slaying, he worked and then went home.

Villegas' family said on Sunday that their hearts ached for Lewis' family. But they also were struggling with their own grief.

''No one in the family can even believe this,'' his mother said. ``It's like a nightmare, worse than a nightmare.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/459381.html

[Grande]

Plantation lawyer strangled, authorities say
By Macollvie Jean-François | Sun-Sentinel.com
4:42 PM EDT, March 17, 2008

Melissa Britt Lewis was strangled to death inside her garage before her killer dumped her body into a canal, officials said Monday.

The Medical Examiner performed an autopsy March 8, the day after the Plantation lawyer's body was found, and determined the manner of death to be manual strangulation, the agency said.

However, detectives did not want to jeopardize their case by releasing the manner of death before a suspect was in custody.

On Saturday, police arrested Tony Villegas, 44, the estranged husband of Lewis' best friend, Debra Villegas.

"She was assaulted by someone who compressed her neck until she died," said Dr. Joshua Perper, Broward County's Chief Medical Examiner. "Certainly, it's an emotional stress of great magnitude for someone to do that."

Tony Villegas was being held in a Miami-Dade jail until he is transferred to Broward County this week to plead not guilty to the charges, his attorney Jordan Lewin said.

Villegas appeared in Miami-Dade court for an extradition hearing Monday and agreed to be moved to Broward "as soon as possible," Lewin said.

"He's saying he didn't do it," Villegas' attorney Jordan Lewin said. "And certainly, there's some evidence that somebody contacted him trying to find out how they could remove pepper spray from their hands."

Lewin said he has heard of Lewis' cell phone being traced to his client, after she went missing, but declined to discuss the matter further, saying he has not formally received the charges nor the evidence.

Villegas was arrested in Miami in connection with the killing, according to Plantation police spokesman Detective Phil Toman.

Details about why and how police believe he killed Lewis remain sealed, but Toman said Monday investigators have "really strong" evidence pointing to him.

Lewin said he is waiting to hear a concrete motive from investigators about why his client would kill Lewis. It is possible that his client is being set up to deflect attention from the real killer, he added.

"He's as a good a target as anyone at that point," Lewin said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-317villegas,0,3193627.story

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Family Of Man Accused Of Killing Lawyer Says He's Innocent
UPDATED: 10:20 pm EDT March 17, 2008

PLANTATION, Fla. -- The suspect in the slaying of a Plantation lawyer appeared in court on Monday, and his family was there to say that he's innocent.

Police said new evidence showed that Tony Villegas used his bare hands to strangle Melissa Lewis to death.

"I just miss her," Debra Villegas said. "She helped me be safe. I didn't know I needed to help her be safe."

Debra Villegas said she believes her ex-husband strangled her best friend because Lewis was helping her through a tough divorce.

"I just have an overwhelming amount of guilt for it," Debra Villegas said. "I know that I didn't do this to her, but because of me, it happened to her. That's just something I have to live with."

She and Lewis worked together at a Plantation law firm – the same firm that represented Debra Villegas in her divorce last year.

Since then, Tony Villegas had moved into a house in Miami Gardens. He was arrested at his sister's home in Miami Lakes and charged with Lewis' murder.

"Anyone that knows Tony knows what kind of person he has been all his life," said the suspect's sister, Iraida Villegas. "He never, never had any problem of any kind whatsoever."

Tony Villegas' attorney said his client was framed.

"There was no reason whatsoever for Mr. Villegas to kill Ms. Lewis," said defense attorney Michael Walsh. "There was really no relationship of any substance that can be discussed."

However, Debra Villegas said she disagrees.

"There's an overwhelming amount of evidence," she said.

"If there's overwhelming evidence of guilt, by all means, put it on the table, subject it to scrutiny and we'll see what the evidence holds," Walsh said.

Debra Villegas, who was under 24-hour protection until her ex-husband was arrested, said there is some relief but little comfort for her children who considered Lewis an aunt.

"They've their aunt, they've lost their father and they've lost a great sense of security," she said.

Tony Villegas is in jail in Miami-Dade County awaiting extradition to Broward County within the next two weeks.

http://www.nbc6.net/news/15623153/detail.html

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Dead lawyer's cell phone led police to murder suspect
Electronic trail brought arrest in lawyer's Plantation killing
By Macollvie Jean-François, Jon Burstein and Tonya Alanez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 18, 2008

Melissa Britt Lewis' killer strangled her in her garage and then dumped her body in a Plantation canal before taking off with some of her belongings, police said Monday.

Lewis' missing cell phone left an electronic trail that led detectives to suspect Tony Villegas, police said. Authorities arrested Villegas, 44, the estranged husband of Lewis' best friend, Debra Villegas, on Saturday. But the legal documents outlining the murder case against him remained sealed Monday.

"The investigation is still very fluid," Broward County homicide prosecutor Howard Scheinberg said. "It's still very active."

Scheinberg said arrest affidavits and search warrants sometimes remain sealed after a murder suspect has been arrested to ensure the case is not compromised before it is presented to a grand jury. Grand jurors should hear the case within the next two weeks, he said.

Authorities have not revealed a motive in the case, and Plantation police spokesman Detective Phil Toman said Tony Villegas is not talking.

"We haven't heard from him as to why he did this. I don't know what his motive was" Toman said. "Right now, there is no indication that anyone else was involved other than Mr. Villegas."

Lewis' Plantation garage showed signs of a struggle and large amounts of pepper spray were found in her Cadillac SUV, later found abandoned a mile from her house. Her body was discovered March 7.

Defense attorney Jordan Lewin said Villegas denies the killing and is waiting to be transferred from a Miami-Dade County jail to Broward.

"He really is completely bewildered by the whole experience," said Villegas' other attorney, Michael D. Walsh. "He knows who Melissa Lewis is, but he doesn't know her. He doesn't know her house. He doesn't have a beef with Ms. Lewis."

Lewis and Debra Villegas, 40, were colleagues at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, a Fort Lauderdale law firm were Lewis, 39, recently had been promoted to partner.

Described as a quiet workaholic who stood up for what she believed in, Lewis volunteered for an advocacy group for those affected by violent crime. She and Debra Villegas shared a decade-long friendship, marked by constant text-message exchanges and daily phone calls.

Last year, Debra Villegas took steps to dissolve her 13-year marriage by filing for divorce. In recent interviews, Debra Villegas has said it was a relationship marked by abuse and that her ex was "always angry" about the divorce, but divorce records do not portray the marriage as abusive, rocky or volatile.

Debra Villegas on Sunday said Tony Villegas and Lewis were always cordial and that she did not sense that he harbored ill will toward the woman the couple's children considered an aunt.

"They [the children] are dealing with the loss of their aunt and now, essentially, with the loss of their father," she said. "I am completely devastated. I don't know any more than anyone else."

Tony Villegas' relatives and attorney said the Florida East Coast Railway train conductor is a hardworking, gentle person who switched shifts at work to spend more time with his children.

His father, Antonio Villegas, said he spoke to his son before the arrest, when the younger man said, "don't worry. I don't have any problem." The arrest seemed to contradict that.

"Imagine how I feel?" Antonio Villegas said. "Totally demoralized."

Police told Villegas that they tracked Lewis' iPhone to where Villegas lives, Walsh said. Villegas lives in Miami-Dade. Toman said although detectives traced the phone's movements in the aftermath of the killing, they do not have the phone now.

Walsh said Villegas met with detectives at least once before his arrest and gave a DNA sample. Later in the week, he hired attorneys.

Antonio Villegas said police swarmed his home last week and seized his car and his son's car. They also went to another home, where his son had been living.

Tony Villegas' relatives acknowledged that he and Debra Villegas had a rocky union, but he would not kill, they said.

Court records show the couple married in 1994 and separated on Feb. 22, 2007. Debra Villegas filed for divorce in June, saying that the marriage was "irretrievably broken," according to the divorce filings. Debra Villegas has custody of the children and was seeking child and household support from Tony Villegas.

He requested shared parental responsibilities and said his wife earned more than he did, according to the records. He earned about $4,073.33 a month, while she earned about $10,384 a month.

The couple was scheduled to meet with a mediator last week.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flblewismurder0318sbmar18,0,761516.story

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Wife: Jealousy was motive in Lauderdale attorney's killing
As the suspected killer of a Fort Lauderdale attorney awaits his transfer to a Broward jail, his estranged wife says she has no doubt he strangled her best friend.
Posted on Tue, Mar. 18, 2008
BY JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA
jmooney@MiamiHerald.com

http://i30.tinypic.com/2cqilw8.jpg

The motive behind the killing of Fort Lauderdale attorney Melissa Britt Lewis is pure and simple, according to her best friend.

Jealousy.

Debra Villegas alleges that her estranged husband, Tony Villegas, killed her best friend because of how close they were.

''If a dog showed me attention, he'd be jealous of it,'' said Villegas, who is in the midst of a contentious divorce.

``He was jealous of her, and in turn killed her because of it.''

Tony Villegas, 44, was arrested Saturday on charges that he killed Lewis, a partner in a Fort Lauderdale law firm where his estranged wife works as chief operating officer.

Plantation police have not released the arrest affidavit or a motive in the slaying. However, on Monday, they announced that Lewis had been strangled.

Among the evidence they have connecting Tony Villegas to the crime: the location of Lewis' iPhone was traced to Villegas' apartment and investigators found a Google search on a computer he used that showed methods to remove pepper spray from hands.

Villegas' attorney, however, said his client has been framed. He also questioned his estranged wife's motives.

''There is no evidence he has ever committed a violent act in the past or that she was ever afraid of him,'' said one of his attorneys, Jordan Lewin.

``It seems the timing is suspicious for her to all of a sudden come out and say he was dangerous or violent.''

NO POLICE REPORT

Debra Villegas, 40, never filed a police report on her husband or a restraining order, according to public records.

She claims her attorneys advised her not to.

''If I did that, he would have killed me,'' she said. ``I didn't want to inflame him any more.''

The couple, who were married in 1994, filed for divorce last July. He moved out of their Sunrise home and into a Miami Lakes apartment.

Debra Villegas, who earns $124,635 a year at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, was seeking $976-a-month child support from her husband. Tony Villegas, a conductor for the Florida East Coast Railway, earns $70,801 a year, court records show.

According to their divorce records, their marriage was ''irretrievably broken.'' Debra Villegas was seeking child support for three of their children, ages 11, 14 and 17. A fourth child, who is over 18 and considered an adult, was not mentioned in the file.

Stuart Golant, an attorney representing Tony Villegas in his divorce, said his client was prepared to pay ''whatever the court ordered'' in child support.

The couple's finances, which are broken down in their divorce records, show that they spent $4,100 a month on the mortgage of their Sunrise home. Their monthly expenses, including car payments, health insurance and food, total $12,045.

Debra Villegas also owed Lewis $11,395 for kitchen work, records show. Debra Villegas said she borrowed the money to pay for new appliances, but that she repaid the loan in full.

''I paid some things for her,'' she said. ``That's what friends do.''

Lewis' mother, Lisa Lapointe, said she was aware of the loan, but wouldn't elaborate, saying police asked her not to speak about anything related to the case.

''Melissa was doing Debra a favor,'' she said.

When asked about the money Villegas borrowed for the kitchen, Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said, ``I have no idea about that.''

Police have said that Debra Villegas had no involvement in the 39-year-old's slaying.

Lewis, who practiced labor and employment law, was not involved in her friend's divorce.

The two women, who were best friends since 1999, spent much of their time together, Villegas has said.

When Lewis didn't show up for work March 6, Villegas knew something was wrong and called police.

EVIDENCE FOUND

That day, evidence of pepper spray and a button from Lewis' suit jacket were found in the garage of her Plantation home, where she lived alone with her two dogs. Police also found her black Cadillac SRX abandoned in a nearby parking lot. Her body was later found in a canal near Pine Island Road and State Road 84.

Tony Villegas' family members, some of whom appeared at his extradition hearing in Miami-Dade court on Monday, said he would never have killed anyone.

''Knowing the kind of person he has been all his life, he has never had any problems whatsoever,'' his sister, Iraida Villegas, said Monday after his court appearance. ``He hasn't done anything wrong.''

Villegas is scheduled to be transported to Broward, where he appear in bond court this week.

Miami Herald staff writers Todd Wright and Erika Beras contributed to this report.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/460524.html

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Suspect in lawyer's death moved to Broward jail
Posted on Wed, Mar. 19, 2008
BY JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA
jmooney@MiamiHerald.com

http://i30.tinypic.com/14czg41.jpg

Tony Villegas will appear in a Broward courtroom for a bond hearing Wednesday or Thursday.The man accused of strangling a Fort Lauderdale attorney and dumping her body in a canal has been moved to a Broward jail.

Tony Villegas, 44, was arrested early Saturday in Northwest Miami-Dade and booked into a Miami-Dade jail.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, he arrived at the Broward Main Jail to face murder charges in the slaying of Melissa Britt Lewis, 39, his estranged wife's best friend.

Villegas will appear in a Broward courtroom for a bond hearing Wednesday or Thursday.

Plantation police say they have ''overwhelming'' evidence tying him to the murder of Lewis, who was killed in the garage of her home. Her body was found March 7 in a canal near State Road 84 and Pine Island Road.

Lewis was a law partner at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Her best friend, Debra Villegas, the firm's chief operating officer, is going through a divorce with Tony Villegas.

Defense attorneys representing Villegas say he is innocent and is being framed.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/462477.html

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Case Summary
Broward County Case Number: 08005416CF10A
State Reporting Number: 062008CF005416A88810
Court Type: FELONY
Case Type: FELONY
Incident Date: 03/05/2008
Filing Date: 03/26/2008
Court Location: BROWARD COUNTY CENTRAL COURTHOUSE
Case Status: OPEN

Case Parties
001 VILLEGAS TONY DEF M H 10/07/1963 BCCN 0732083
001 FLEISHER BRUCE H PA BARID 000000166952
GATES MICHAEL L JUDGE JUDGE FC

Key Dates - Future Scheduled Events
Event Date Event Description Room Time Presider Division Count
12/04/2008 CALENDAR CALL 6870 1330 MICHAEL L GATES FC OPN

Counts
Select Count Count Status Statute Statute Description Filed On Filed By
001 OPEN FXXD782041A MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE 03/26/2008BROWARD SHERIFF OFFICE