Her laugh was the most contagious laugh," said DiFrancesco. March 3, 2023 / 2:29 PM Collier and Taylor will reportedly be arraigned in about three weeks. Kopta, now 86, recalled how they met near a river in Pittsburgh where he had a boat. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. "It is just very sad to see someone die so young, she didn't deserve it, it was horrible," Khamermesh. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico, Check Your Change! Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. Patricia Kopta had been nicknamed "The Sparrow" because of her slight build, and often frequented parking lots and busy roads in the largely residential community of about 31,000 north of Pittsburgh, where she would caution passersby and motorists about the end of the world. March 03, 2023 at 10:52 am EST. Collier and Taylor are facing charges of burglary with battery, petty theft, sexual battery and credit card fraud. Patricia Kopta had been nicknamed The Sparrow because of her slight build, and often frequented parking lots and busy roads in the largely residential community of about 31,000 north of Pittsburgh, where she would caution passersby and motorists about the end of the world. Upon her release, she kept preaching until she vanished in 1992. They are currently being held without bond. Police allege the suspects, from . Its a sad thing, but its a relief off my mind, her husband said. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room after two men drugged and raped her last week, police said. "I didn't believe it. Mourners laid flowers in a vigil Friday for the Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room. She just loved the ocean, the beach, the warm sunshine, Smith told the AP. But before she began preaching, Kopta was a straight-A student who became a model and dance instructor. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person "in need" to the adult care home in 1999, according to details announced at a news conference this week in Ross Township, where she once lived. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office did not release a cause of death. D'Annunzio never met Englehardt, but he said the news of her death really affected him. Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead at the Albion Hotel on James Avenue in Miami Beach on Thursday, March 18. Her laugh was the most contagious laugh," said DiFrancesco. Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico 02:03. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, also stand accused of stealing Englehardt's credit cards and cash and using them during their trip to South Beach. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. MIAMI BEACH, Fla. Two men vacationing in South Beach for spring break are charged with drugging and raping a woman who was later found dead in a hotel. "She would always hang out down in Pittsburgh where things were going on. Read full article. The Miami Herald reports Collier confessed to police, The Miami Herald quotes the police report, 2 spring breakers drugged, raped woman, then partied, cops say. "If you please let my brother come home and let our family handle the situation appropriately we will do whatever is necessary that Miami-Dade County asks of us. Dorian Taylor and Evoire Collier, both from North Carolina, have been charged with sexual battery as well as burglary with battery, theft and credit card fraud. "She could have come home at any time. Bob Kopta, who did not remarry, said he doesn't plan to visit, and that he's now trying to forget the past, though he's glad to know she's being taken care of. Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found dead on March 18. Elizabeth Khamermesh remembered her high school friend Englehardt as a bright person with dreams. A twin sister of Patricia Kopta died without knowing her fellow twin was still alive. Online jail records did not indicate whether the two had an attorney who could speak for them. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. According to authorities, the. Years went by with no sign of her. Smith said her sister quit her job at the glass company after 10 years because of migraines that doctors blamed on stress. Crowds continue to pack South Beach and even with an 8 p.m. curfew, law enforcement has their hands full. Her husband, Bob Kopta, and her surviving sister, 78-year-old Gloria Smith. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Alleged Miami Beach Serial Rapist Facing More Charges After 5th Accuser Comes Forward. Privacy Policy | RELATED: Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. The Miami Herald quotes the police report: The fact that the victim was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics, she could not have consented to sex with the defendants.. In 1972, they married. ___ AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed from New York. All rights reserved. Thats when family members noticed a change in her. Police arrested Dorian Taylor, 24, and Evoire Collier, 21, both from North Carolina. The victim was identified by authorities as 24-year-old Christine Englehardt from Pennsylvania. Five-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes anchors WPLG-Local 10's 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. Englehardt is a graduate of Council Rock High School North and was a manager at Jules Thin Crust Pizza in Newtown, Pennsylvania. By Antonio Planas and The Associated Press. (Ross Township Police . After graduating high school, she worked in finance at a Pittsburgh plate glass company and would attend ballroom dancing events weekly, according to her family. Two North Carolina men, Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, have been accused of drugging Englehardt with a "green. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, are accused of stealing the womans credit cards. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room after two men drugged and raped her, police said. Bob Kopta reported his wife, Patricia, missing in 1992. Police allegedly found the womans phone and green pills in Taylors possession, the Herald reports. Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person "in need" to the . The disappearance stumped authorities and family alike. All Rights Reserved. According to police, the body of Christine Englehardt, of Richboro, Bucks County, was found on March 18. Years went by with no sign of her. Is it Patricia?. An undated photo of Christine Englehardt, 24, who authorities say. "She was the person you brought in that lit up the whole room. Christine Englehardt, 24, of Pennsylvania was found dead in her Miami Beach hotel room. That's when family members noticed a change in her. Whether she knows me or not, I still want to see her and give her a hug and tell her I love her, Smith said. Patricia Kopta, a well-known Pittsburgh street preacher known as "The Sparrow," was found alive in Puerto Rico more than three decades after she went missing. A woman who police say died after being drugged and raped in a Miami Beach hotel room was visiting Florida from the Philadelphia suburbs. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. Investigators believe the suspects gave the victim a green pill to drug her. Detectives obtained surveillance video showing them entering the Albion Hotel with the victim and later leaving without her. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. In 1972, they married. Recommended Stories Business Insider GOP Gov. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally . She said something about seeing an angel there, Smith recalled. Samantha DiFrancesco, a close friend of Englehardt's, said she was a "genuinely good person.". ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. A Pennsylvania woman who vanished more than three decades ago and was declared legally dead, was found alive in a Puerto . Mourners were gathering outside of the Albion Hotel, where. The two men are accused of going with the woman to her hotel, where they had sex with her multiple times and once she was unconscious or out the suspects remained inside the unit and didnt call for assistance or help and began to take all her items, WPLG reports. Evoire Collier (left) and Dorian Taylor (right) were both charged with burglary with assault or battery; sexual battery; credit card fraud; and theft. Miami Beach chaos isnt all college spring breakers. MIAMI (WPVI) -- A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room after two men drugged and raped her, police said. One of the Miami Beach detectives on the case testified at a bond hearing Monday and said that based on the surveillance footage, Englehardt was staggering and appeared to be in no condition to give any kind of consent prior to entering the hotel. The Medical Examiner has not made a ruling on the cause of death as they are still awaiting toxicology results, officials said. Ad Choices. All rights reserved, died after being drugged and raped in a Miami Beach hotel room. It was total shock," her surviving sister Gloria Smith said. Every time theyd find a body somewhere (I wondered), Is it Patricia? A detective testified hotel video showed the woman was staggering as they walked into the elevator at the hotel, the Herald reports. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Total shock," Gloria Smith said of learning the news. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room is being remembered as a "shining light." . Smith said her sister quit her job at the glass company after 10 years because of migraines that doctors blamed on stress. A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. A Pittsburgh woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who . In 1972, they married. It just breaks your heart when you know she was a genuinely good person who would do anything for anybody. To think she went through what she went through, it's sickening; it's sick," DiFrancesco said. She would vacation often in Puerto Rico with her friends before she got married, Smith recalled. Investigators are trying to determine whether the victim's death resulted from a "green pill" the men supplied, but the Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office said Monday it is conducting further tests, and no cause of death has been determined pending a toxicology report. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead in a Miami Beach hotel room last week; police said she'd been drugged and raped. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. "Christine is everyone's daughter, sister, girlfriend, best friend, and my heart breaks for her family," D'Annunzio said. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. The men are also accused of stealing her cell phone, cash and credit cards once Englehardt was unconscious, according to a judge. WPLG-TV reports the woman's body was found partially clothed in her room at the hotel, according to Miami Beach Police. Spring Breakers Arrested for Drugging, Raping Woman Who Later Died in Miami Hotel: Police, Police Chief Says Miami Partying Couldn't Go on Any Longer', Check Your Change! Theyre also accused of stealing her credit cards and using them at several locations across Miami Beach. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said. She says she's been unable to speak to the elder sibling on the phone because she cannot hold a conversation, given her dementia. According to authorities, the body of. A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. "She was the person you brought in that lit up the whole room. The men are also accused of stealing her cell phone, cash and credit cards once Englehardt was unconscious, according to a judge. The medical examiner has not made a ruling on the cause of death as toxicology results are pending, officials said. Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Eagles' WR Zach Pascal Robbed and Assaulted at Gunpoint in Maryland, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. I went through a lot, said Bob Kopta, a retired truck driver. One investigator said that a court surveillance video shows the suspects holding the victim up and that the video made it clear she was unable to consent. Mourners were gathering outside of the Albion Hotel, where 24-year-old Christine Englehardt was discovered dead on March 19 after officials say she was drugged and raped by two tourists. I come home one night, and shes just gone, Bob Kopta told the AP. "She said something about seeing an angel there," Smith recalled. "It's a sad thing, but it's a relief off my mind," her husband said. But before she began preaching, Kopta was a straight-A student who became a model and dance instructor. Last year, a social worker at the home alerted authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. When she first was taken in at the adult home, she had hinted that she had arrived in Puerto Rico via a cruise ship from Europe, Kohlhepp said. According to police records, surveillance footage showed the two men entering the hotel lobby Englehardt, at about 1 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, then exiting the hotel without Englehardt about 30 minutes later. One investigator said that a court surveillance video shows the suspects holding the victim up and that the video made it clear she was unable to consent. Kopta, now 86, recalled how they met near a river in Pittsburgh where he had a boat. Her husband, Bob Kopta, and Gloria Smith, 78, filled in details of Koptas life at the news conference and in telephone interviews Friday with The Associated Press. "I don't . A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead at the Albion Hotel on James Avenue in Miami Beach on Thursday, March 18. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room after two men drugged and raped her, police said. Smith said her sister quit her job at the glass company after 10 years because of migraines that doctors blamed on stress. Christine Englehardt was found dead in a Miami Beach hotel room. Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, then allegedly stole her phone and credit cards, using them to fund their South Beach vacation, police said. A possible drug overdose was suspected. MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) A woman was found dead at a Florida hotel after she was allegedly drugged and raped by two spring breakers who stole her credit cards to spend money on their trip, police said. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with delusions of grandeur and said she had signs of schizophrenia. Meanwhile, Patricia Kopta apparently was wandering the islands northern towns of Naranjito, Corozal and Toa Alta, located just southwest of the capital of San Juan. If investigators find the pill led to her death, the suspects could face manslaughter or murder charges. Soldier Gets 45 Years for Helping Neo-Nazi Group in Plot to Kill Troops, Jan. 6 Rioter Guilty of Stealing Badge and Radio From Beaten Officer, From Haiti Through Liberty City to Top Federal Prosecutor in South Florida: the Unlikely Story of Markenzy Lapointe, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. A pair of tourists in South Beach for spring break have been charged with drugging and raping a woman who was later found dead in a hotel. The men are also accused of stealing her cell phone, cash and credit cards once Englehardt was unconscious, according to a judge. Investigators believe Englehardt made contact with the suspects in a restaurant. Miami Beach police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found barricaded in a hotel room she reportedly shared with her now-missing boyfriend. "Whether she knows me or not, I still want to see her and give her a hug and tell her I love her," Smith said. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania woman was found dead inside a South Beach Miami hotel room after two men drugged and raped her, police said. Mourners laid flowers in a vigil Friday for the Pennsylvania woman who was found dead inside a Miami Beach hotel room. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, Man finds giant clam estimated to be 214 years old. Please enter valid email address to continue. RELATED: Police chief says Miami spring break partying 'couldn't go on any longer'. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. So he published ads in Puerto Rican newspapers, but never got a response. Both men matched the description given to police and were stopped and detained by detectives Sunday. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Two North Carolina residents were arrested in Miami Beach last week after a Pennsylvania woman was found dead in a hotel room days earlier. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Shortly afterward, Kopta began preaching and was briefly institutionalized after doctors diagnosed her with "delusions of grandeur" and said she had signs of schizophrenia.