Curtis Wilkie Beasley

Case information

Curtis Wilkie Beasley was charged with Robbery, Grand-Theft Auto, and the First-Degree Murder of Carolyn Monfort.

The indictment included:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: Robbery
• Count III: Grand Theft Auto

The case was in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, Polk County, Case #95-4842. The Supreme Court of Florida opinion was SC93310 and the opinion number was SC06-2375. The registry number was DC# 356054. Beasley’s date of birth was 01/29/49.

Sentencing was by The Honorable Cecelia M. Moore. Attorneys were:

• Criminal Trial: Robert A. Norgard, Esq. & Byron P. Hileman, Esq. – Private Attorney
• Direct Appeal: Robert A. Norgard, Esq. – Private Attorney
• Collateral Appeals: Dan Daly
• Collateral appeals procedural reference: Registry Date of Offense: 08/24/95

Timeline

• 08/21/95 — Monfort dressed for work as usual; Carolyn Monfort met with Mr. Rosario at 2:00 p.m. and again at 5:00 p.m., and Rosario paid her; she was last seen alive before the discovery three days later.
• 08/24/95 — Jane O’Toole discovered the body of her mother, Carolyn Monfort, bludgeoned to death in the laundry room of Monfort’s home.
• 01/29/49 — Curtis Beasley’s date of birth.
• 02/01/96 — The defendant was indicted on Count I: First-Degree Murder, Count II: Robbery, Count III: Grand Theft Auto.
• 02/18/98 — The defendant was found guilty of all counts charged in the indictment.
• 02/26/98 — Upon advisory sentencing, the jury by a majority of 10 to 2 voted for the death penalty.
• 05/22/98 — The defendant was sentenced: Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death.
• 05/27/98 — The defendant was sentenced: Count II: Robbery — 15 years; Count III: Grand Theft Auto — 15 years.
• 06/29/98 — Curtis Beasley filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.
• 10/26/00 — The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Beasley’s convictions and sentence of death.
• 04/30/01 — Beasley filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court.
• 09/20/04 — Beasley amended the motion.
• 11/15/04 — Beasley amended the motion.
• 01/09/06 — An Evidentiary Hearing was held.
• 08/24/95 — Registry Date of Offense: 08/24/95.

Background

On 08/24/95, Jane O’Toole discovered the body of her mother, Carolyn Monfort, bludgeoned to death in the laundry room of Monfort’s home.

Monfort sustained severe lacerations and bruising to her head and face, along with defensive wounds on her arms and hands. The head of a hammer, wrapped in two dishtowels, was found broken from its handle near her body.

Monfort was last seen alive on 08/21/95.

Curtis Beasley was an acquaintance of the family and was staying with Monfort while he did work at an apartment complex owned by Neal O’Toole, Monfort’s son-in-law. Monfort managed that apartment complex. Beasley would spend the night at Monfort’s place, but would spend the majority of his free time at the home of Steve Benson, who he lived with prior to staying at the Monfort residence.

Beasley’s van had broken down, and Monfort drove Beasley to and from work each day after Monfort borrowed several hundred dollars from a friend, Dale Robinson, to have it repaired.

Later on 08/21/95, Jane O’Toole arranged to have Beasley help her and her husband move some furniture. While moving the furniture, Beasley asked O’Toole for money. O’Toole told Beasley she had only a few dollars, but that her husband would pay him for the work at the apartment complex. O’Toole drove Beasley back to the Monfort residence, where no one else was home.

Up until 7:00 p.m. that evening, several phone calls were made from the Monfort residence to persons unknown to Monfort but known to Beasley, including a call to the United Kingdom. One of the numbers called was written in Beasley’s handwriting on a newspaper on the coffee table.

After Monfort dropped Beasley off at work on 08/21/95, she went to a scheduled meeting at 9:00 a.m. Monfort then met with Mr. Rosario, a potential tenant, at 2:00 p.m. and again at 5:00 p.m. Rosario paid Monfort $800 in one-hundred-dollar bills for the first and last month’s rent. He also paid her $100 for a set of bedroom furniture that she was selling. A receipt found in Monfort’s car established this transaction. Rosario was the last person to see Monfort alive before the discovery of her body three days later.

Between 8:30 and 10:00 p.m. that night, Beasley drove Monfort’s car to visit Dale Robinson. Beasley told Robinson the car he was driving belonged to a lady friend that he was working for and staying with. During the visit, Beasley offered Robinson a one-hundred-dollar bill as partial payment for the money Robinson loaned him for van repairs. Beasley left Robinson’s house and did not return.

The next day, Beasley arrived at the bus station in Miami. He contacted the Malcolms, friends he had not spoken to in years. Beasley claimed to have lost his wallet and had his traveler’s checks stolen. Beasley stayed with Mrs. Malcolm for a few days, and then was allowed to stay at the home of Mrs. Bennis, Mr. Malcolm’s mother, while she was away for a couple of weeks. During this time, the same phone calls that appeared on Monfort’s bill also appeared on Mrs. Bennis’ bill, including the call to the United Kingdom.

Beasley was eventually located at a hotel in Alabama. He had grown a beard and was using the name “William Benson.” He continued to stay at the home of Mrs. Bennis until he got into a physical altercation with Mr. Malcolm.

The offence

Jane O’Toole discovered the body of her mother, Carolyn Monfort, bludgeoned to death in the laundry room of Monfort’s home.

Monfort had severe lacerations and bruising to her head and face, and defensive wounds on her arms and hands.

Investigation

Police investigated the murder scene at the Monfort residence. They noted that the only rooms that appeared to be disturbed were the laundry room, dining room and garage. All other rooms were impeccably clean because the housekeeper had cleaned midmorning on 08/21/95.

Monfort’s car was missing, as well as the hundreds of dollars given to her by Rosario.

Several of Beasley’s personal items were located in the room that he had been occupying, including his business cards, cigarettes and toiletries.

Family members were permitted to enter the home before the completion of the investigation to determine what, if anything, was missing. Family members were asked to notify investigators when they entered the house, so that investigators could be present while they searched.

Before detectives arrived at the scene, Bud Stalnaker, Monfort’s son, found a pair of shoes and a wadded-up shirt under the bed in the guest room. No one touched the shirt and shoes until the detectives arrived. When Detective Cash gathered the evidence from under the bed, she noticed bloodstains on the shirt.

Subsequent DNA tests indicated that the blood belonged to Monfort, and the housekeeper identified the shirt as one she saw in Beasley’s room on the morning of 08/21/95.

A search for Beasley began in Central Florida.

Arrest

Beasley was charged with Robbery, Grand-Theft Auto, and the First-Degree Murder of Carolyn Monfort.

He was eventually located at a hotel in Alabama, where he had grown a beard and was using the name “William Benson.”

Trial

Indictment and counts

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: Robbery
• Count III: Grand Theft Auto

Verdict

On 02/18/98, the defendant was found guilty of all counts charged in the indictment.

Advisory sentencing

On 02/26/98, upon advisory sentencing, the jury by a majority of 10 to 2 voted for the death penalty.

Sentencing

On 05/22/98, the defendant was sentenced as followed:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death

On 05/27/98, the defendant was sentenced as followed:

• Count II: Robbery — 15 years
• Count III: Grand Theft Auto — 15 years

Appeals

Direct appeal

On 06/29/98, Curtis Beasley filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.

He argued that the trial court erred in denying his motion of acquittal because the circumstantial evidence of the case was not inconsistent with Beasley’s reasonable hypothesis of innocence.

After much consideration, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that there was substantial evidence on record to support Beasley’s convictions.

Beasley also contended that the trial court erred by not sequestering the victim’s daughter and son, who were key witnesses in the case. He argued that, without sequestration, one witness might change their testimony to match the evidence presented or previous testimony. Beasley also argued the presence of the victim’s family and their emotional reactions prejudiced his case.

Additionally, Beasley argued the consideration and application of aggravating and mitigating circumstances.

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Beasley’s convictions and sentence of death on 10/26/00.

Post-conviction motion

Next, Beasley filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on 04/30/01 and amended the motion on 09/20/04 and 11/15/04.

On 01/09/06, an Evidentiary Hearing was held. The motion was pending.

Other details

The case included multiple phone calls from the Monfort residence to persons unknown to Monfort but known to Beasley, including a call to the United Kingdom. The same phone calls appeared on Mrs. Bennis’ bill during the time Beasley stayed at her home.