Police: Killer impersonated his dead wife in text

Cassandritz Blanc killed his pregnant wife and used her cellphone to impersonate her and “confess” to killing her father, search warrants say.

Blanc, 22, fatally shot his wife Martine Bernard, 20, on June 4 for “disrespecting” him. He also shot dead his father-in-law, Roosevelt Bernard, 68, on June 9, according to a joint investigation by Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood police.

Detectives say that Blanc confessed to both homicides.

Police have not described a possible motive for the killing of Roosevelt Bernard, who was killed in his Hollywood home in the 2900 block of Washington Street. Two days later, his body was found in a field a block from the residence. It had been set on fire, police said.

Blanc tried to dismember his wife’s body and left her remains in their apartment for eight days, according to the investigation.

Martine Bernard’s body was found in a trash bin in an alley behind the couple’s Fort Lauderdale apartment building at 522 NE First Ave. Police say they watched Blanc drag along the alley the bin that held her remains.

In search warrants for Blanc and Martine Bernard’s cellphones, detectives said Blanc texted from his wife’s phone to try to suggest that she was still alive. He admitted sending one text from her phone that said she confessed to killing her father, the warrant said.

Blanc also used his phone to contact someone online to buy the gun to kill wife and fatherin-law, the warrant said.

Another search warrant, for the contents of Blanc’s white Dodge Challenger, sought to retrieve trace evidence including blood, DNA and fibers.

Among items taken from the car were pairs of latex and work gloves; a black trash bag; a kitchen knife, a red gas can and a

DNA swab, the warrant said.

Broward Chief Assistant Public Defender Robert Wills is representing Blanc.

“During the course of our case preparation, we’re going to be reviewing all of the reports and records and taking sworn depositions from all the witnesses to verify what actually happened,” Wills said Friday.

State records show the couple were wed in Broward County on October 4, 2017, which is also Blanc’s birthday. Martine Bernard was six months pregnant when she died, police said.

Blanc — who does not have a criminal record in Florida — was arrested June 12 and is facing charges of two counts of premeditated murder and two counts of abusing corpses. He is being held without bond in the main Broward County jail in Fort Lauderdale.

Police have not revealed whether the same weapon was used to kill the Bernards.

Investigators asked anyone with information about the cases to call Fort Lauderdale Homicide Detective Orlando Almanzar, at 954-828-5546 or the main dispatch number of the Hollywood Police Department at 954-764-4357.

Anonymous tips can be given to Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 or online at browardcrimestoppers.org. The organization pays up to $3,000 for information that leads to an arrest. ljtrischitta@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4233 or Twitter @LindaTrischitta