South Florida Man Accused Of Murdering Wife At Sea

MIAMI, FL — A 41-year-old South Florida man whose distress call to the Coast Guard touched off a massive search for his newlywed wife, was accused on Tuesday of murdering her at sea. Lewis Bennett was charged with second-degree murder after being taken into custody by the FBI at the federal courthouse in downtown Miami. Federal agents said Bennett intentionally scuttled his catamaran to make the death of his wife, Isabella Hellman, look like an accident the day after Mother's Day.

"When asked what efforts he undertook to locate Hellman, Bennett indicated that he did not do anything," federal agents said in court documents released on Tuesday. "When asked if he used any of the flares on board the life raft to illuminate the area to facilitate a search, Bennett stated that he did not. When asked if he had yelled for Hellman while in the life raft, Bennett indicated that he did not."

Watch standers with the Coast Guard Seventh District Command Center received notification at approximately 1:30 a.m. on May 15 from an emergency position indicating radio beacon that was registered to the 37-foot catamaran, "Surf Into Summer."

Bennett, who holds dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and Australia, suspiciously also told investigators that he did not look for his wife in the water around the catamaran, which was approximately 26 nautical miles west of Cay Sal Bank in the Bahamas.

"In fact, Bennett stated that once on board the life raft, he cut the line that tethered the life raft to the vessel," court documents said. "Bennett explained that he did this because he was afraid of being pulled under water if the vessel were to sink."

The search was suspended for Hellman on May 18. at 8:45 p.m.

Bennett was taken to Marathon, Florida with no reported injuries or medical concerns. He told rescuers that his catamaran struck an unknown object and began taking on water. His wife was also 41.

"Bennett stated that he had retired below to sleep, leaving Hellman on watch, and was awoken by a crash," according to court documents. "Bennett claimed that he moved topside and Hellman was not there. Bennett indicated that he eventually realized the catamaran was taking on water, gathered his belongings, and abandoned ship to his life raft."

An expert who was consulted by the FBI told investigators that it appeared as though the catamaran was intentionally scuttled.

According to court documents, there were a number of red flags.

For one, Bennett did not activate a satellite phone and register his Personal Locator Beacon until the couple arrived in Cuba in mid May. By then, he and Hellman had already traveled from St. Maarten to Puerto Rico, and from Puerto Rico to Cuba without them.

"The voyage from St. Maarten would have warranted having an activated satellite phone and registered Personal Locator Beacon as life-saving devices," investigators said. "However, Bennett allegedly waited to activate those devices until the final leg of his voyage to ensure his own rescue and survival after murdering his wife and intentionally scuttling his catamaran."

U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg said that investigators conducted a "vigorous" investigation to tie Bennett to his wife's murder.

"Together, we were able to uncover the truth about what occurred aboard the catamaran, resulting in a tragic death,” Greenberg said.

The FBI has authority to investigate certain violent crimes against Americans overseas, including crimes on the high seas, according to prosecutors.

The Coast Guard covered more than 4,980 square miles searching for Hellman, according to the FBI.

Bennett went before a U.S. District Court judge on another case Tuesday in which he was sentenced to seven months in prison for transporting stolen gold and silver coins. He pleaded guilty to that offense.

Bennett is scheduled to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres, on Wednesday at 2 p.m. If convicted, Bennett faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutors said that Bennett attempted to have his wife presumed dead after just seven months. Typically, a person is presumed dead once they have been absent from their homes for five years.

"Bennett would be entitled to the residence Hellman owns in Delray Beach, Florida if Hellman is presumed to be deceased," prosecutors said. "This would be a monetary incentive benefiting Bennett. Further, bank accounts in either the name of Hellman and/or Bennett would be payable upon Hellman's death to Bennett."

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt K. Lunkenheimer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Rose.

The FBI also examined Coast Guard video and photographs taken on the catamaran. They showed two areas of the hull that were breached during the incident.

"A review of the video and photos of the vessel appears to show that the damage to the hull comes from inside of the vessel," according to investigators, who said that pieces of the vessel appeared to spray outward.

Moreover, the damage was suspiciously located in nearly the same spot on both hulls.

"Based upon interviews of the [U.S. Coast Guard] personnel familiar with boating accidents and search and rescue procedures, who viewed photographs of the vessel, this damage was not catastrophic," according to court documents.

Investigators said that the escape hatches in both hulls were open, which would have caused water to flood the cabin.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard