Killer Used Cutting Board To Fatally Bludgeon Neighbor, Detectives Say

Laurie Bellesheim with her dog Taco and accused murderer, Evan Rosenthal. {Gofundme, BSO}

By Kevin Deutsch

The Margate man who killed his neighbor inside his condominium allegedly used a wooden cutting board to bludgeon her to death, police said in newly filed court records Tuesday.

Evan Rosenthal, 48, of 5510 Lakeside Dr. S., unit 205, is charged with murder in Saturday’s killing of Laurie Bellesheim, a 69-year-old grandmother and Rosenthal’s neighbor in the Viewpointe Condominium.

According to the court files, Rosenthal left the deceased Bellesheim face down in a pool of blood, her head, face, and ears massively injured from the beating he inflicted.

The killer used a blunt household tool to bludgeon Bellesheim, fracturing her skull and detaching part of her ear, police said in the documents.

“Upon further investigation, a round wooden cutting board, approximately 2 inches in thickness, was observed on a table inside of the defendant’s screened-in patio,” investigators wrote in the arrest affidavit filed by Margate Police.

“The wooden board appeared to have contained…blood as it was currently dripping blood onto the floor. In addition…hair follicles were observed on the wooden board. Fresh blood spatter, smears, and droplets were observed throughout the residence.”

Rosenthal murdered Bellesheim “using a blunt force object, with similar characteristics to the wooden cutting board,” detectives wrote in the document.

“The item was used to strike the victim numerous times on her head and throughout her body, causing massive life-ending injuries.”

A neighbor told police he’d heard a female voice in Rosenthal’s apartment saying, “hit me, hit me, Evan, hit me” about six times before the killing, records show.

After allegedly murdering Bellesheim, Rosenthal phoned several friends and relatives, telling one friend he’d killed his neighbor and needed help with a “disposal” problem, police said.

Next, Rosenthal phoned police and told dispatchers and a police sergeant listening in on the call that a woman was hurt inside his apartment and needed help, records show.

Rosenthal also told police he did not know what happened to the woman but that she had been “fighting me for pills that are for my mom,” according to the affidavit.

After the call, police went to Rosenthal’s apartment and asked him to come out.

When he did, they took him to police headquarters, read him his rights, and spoke to him with a lawyer present, the affidavit states.

“Rosenthal had dried…blood on his feet, legs and clothing,” and his “hands and knuckles appeared swollen,” homicide investigators wrote.

“During the interview, [Rosenthal] stated that he has known the victim over the past few years and they would hang out,” the records state. “[Rosenthal] said that the victim would inquire about pills that he had for his mom. [Rosenthal] described the victim as a scammer and that she would always attempt to see what she could get from others.”

Under questioning, Rosenthal offered “a spotty timeline of events,” telling detectives he had “blacked out and couldn’t recall” what happened to Bellesheim.

“[Rosenthal] did state that he did observe the victim lying on his floor in a pool of blood but didn’t know how she ended up that way,” police wrote. “[Rosenthal] stated that he did not check her pulse or even attempt to render any kind of medical aid.”

In separate calls to friends and relatives, Rosenthal had mentioned a confrontation with the victim over pills, records show.

Rosenthal was booked into the Broward County Jail on a charge of murder and is being held there without bond.

Bellesheim, a cancer survivor who lived with her beloved chihuahua, Taco, leaves behind a devastated family.

Her son started a GoFundMe campaign on Monday to raise money for Bellesheim’s memorial and bring Taco to New York.

“She was a wonderful Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, and friend to so many,” wrote the victim’s son, Keith Dori. “I wish I had more time, more photos. I miss her so much. She was supposed to be here in a few weeks for her granddaughter Aurora’s dance recital.”

Dori said his mother “was murdered before she could come to New York for Mother’s Day this year.”

“She really had a lot more living to do, and she wanted to live. She bravely fought cancer only to have her life tragically cut short.”

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Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.