Loved ones are questioning the official explanation for why an Orange County public defender died in Mexico while celebrating one-year anniversary with his wife over the weekend.
Elliot Blair, 33, died early Saturday at Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito after authorities said he was intoxicated and fell from a fourth-floor balcony, according to Patrulla 646, a news website in Mexico.
However, in a GoFundMe post, organizers claim that “Elliot was tragically murdered” and “was the victim of a brutal crime.”
“The authorities in Mexico have revealed very limited information,” organizer Annie Rodríguez said.
The Orange County Recorder, which was the first to report Blair’s death, received a statement from Martin Schwarz, a colleague with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office, who said they were working with US officials to get more information. information.
“We have been in communication with the family and are doing everything we can to support them through this difficult time, including working with local and federal officials to help provide answers,” Schwarz told the OC Register.
Blair, who lived in Orange, had worked for the public defender’s office since 2017.
“Elliot was a compassionate attorney who dedicated his life to serving indigent clients,” Rodriguez said. “Elliot was known as a patient and supportive advocate. He was the best of us and was loved by countless members of our office and the Orange County legal community. We are heartbroken.”
Rodriguez says the money raised through GoFundMe will help Blair’s widow, Kim, with the process of returning Blair’s body to the US and “dealing with all the red tape.”