Judge Denies Defense Motion in Miami Spring Break Rape, Drugging and Fraud Case

According to WPLG, a Florida judge rejected a motion to keep facts hidden from the public eye in the case of a Pennsylvania spring breaker who police claim was raped and drugged before being found dead.

Christine Engelhardt, 24, of Newtown, Bucks County, was found dead inside the Albion Hotel in Miami on March 18.

The woman was allegedly drugged and raped by Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24. They are now being held on sexual battery, burglary, and credit card fraud charges.

Collier’s attorneys pushed to keep some pieces of evidence from the public on Monday, including security video from inside the hotel, a recorded interview, and alleged confessions and admissions Collier made to investigators.

His attorneys argued that they did not want their client to be prosecuted in front of the media.

On Wednesday, the judge dismissed the defense’s motion. On the other hand, the judge is allowing the defense to file a motion to keep his decision, granting the defense time to get the case reviewed by an appeals court and to prevent the discovery from being published for the time being.

Englehardt allegedly made interaction with the suspects in a restaurant, according to investigators. One prosecutor showed the court a surveillance video of the perpetrators picking the woman up and demonstrating that she was unable to consent.

Samantha DiFrancesco, a close friend of Englehardt’s said, “This is the last person I would ever think this would happen to. It just breaks your heart when you know she was a genuinely good person who would do anything for anybody. To think she went through what she went through, it’s sickening; it’s sick.”