SUSPECT SPARKS ANGRY BACKLASH Family fury at jail letters of Brit accused of killing wife
were caused from the A pair of escape hatches below the waterline appeared to have been left open.
A criminal complaint, from FBI Special Agent James Kelley in Miami, said the hatches “should never be open” at sea – and “Bennett never mentioned seeing the portholes open”. An associate professor at the US Coast Guard Academy concluded the boat was “intentionally scuttled”. Bennett admitted not looking for or shouting for his wife when he could not find her. And it emerged that one day after the search for her was called off he filed a “letter of presumed death” to make it easier to sort her finances.
The letter was rejected as Florida law states a person cannot be declared legally dead until missing for at least five years.
Cops grew sceptical after finding 25 gold and silver coins in Bennett’s backpack. Another 162 coins from a £72,000 hoard were at his home in Florida.
In February he was jailed for seven months in Miami after admitting transporting the stolen coins – and on the same day was charged with second-degree murder.
Isabella has never been found and the 40ft boat lies beneath 4,000 feet of water.
Investigators established a personal locator beacon on Bennett’s satellite phone had been registered just before the final leg of their doomed journey.
SURVIVAL
The FBI complaint said that was “indicative of the fact he wanted to ensure his own rescue and survival after murdering his wife and intentionally scuttling his catamaran”.
Bennett moved to Australia in 2007 before travelling to Florida and meeting Isabella.
In his jail letters to a pal he talks about being held captive with 120 prisoners.
He writes: “My family have been extremely supportive of me and are helping my parents to look after my baby girl. I have had letters from my family but aside from that I am left here feeling extremely isolated.
“Day to day life is very mundane. I am in a unit of roughly 120 inmates in and area the size of a tennis court.
“This is our living and eating space, plus we have a small recreation area which is partially open, allowing us some fresh air (but no direct sun).
“I spend my day eating (bad food), sleeping, reading and exercising to try to help stave off the depression that is constantly looming.
“We have access to phone and email, so I am able to talk to my family and friends.
“Although for the first few weeks I was locked up, I was unable to communicate with anyone, which was very difficult for me and probably for them.”
He contacts other people yet we don’t hear a thing about our little niece ADRIANA DIFEO ANGRY AUNT OF ‘KILLER’S’ GIRL