Christine Englehardt accused Evoire Collier's family defends him after rape charges: 'He’s not some monster'
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA: Christine Englehardt had travelled to Miami all alone to enjoy a booze-filled Spring Break. Little did she know, however, that her life was going to be cut short by two young men. 21-year-old Florida spring breaker Evoire Collier is accused of drugging and raping the 24-year-old woman along with his friend 24-year-old Dorian Taylor. His family is now defending him, claiming he is "not some monster".
The 21-year-old remained in jail on Wednesday along with Taylor for allegedly drugging Englehardt with a "green pill" before raping her and stealing her credit cards, according to the latest reports from Miami Herald. She was found dead inside the hotel room, and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner is determining if she died of an overdose.
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If it is proved that Englehardt's cause of death is in fact an overdose, the duo will be charged with manslaughter or murder in addition to the charges of burglary with battery, sexual battery, petty theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Family defends him
Evoire's aunt Tanda Collier told Miami Herald, "It’s devastating. My thought was praying for her family because I wouldn’t wish that on anybody."
At the same time, she insisted that Evoire is "a good kid". “He wouldn’t hurt a fly,” she told the paper.
According to reports, Adrienne Long, who had taken Evoire in after his mother died when he was in high school, said that she and his family believed that Taylor was a bad influence on him. The 21-year-old was a former high school athlete who hoped to one day become an occupational therapist. He had moved in with Taylor, who Evoire's family thought was the bad influence.
“He’s an honest person. He’s gullible … he’s not some monster. He wasn’t a predator,” Long told the paper. “He definitely was in the company of this older guy who could possibly influence him,” she added.
Police said surveillance footage captured Evoire and Taylor with Englehardt at the Albion Hotel in South Beach.
According to an arrest report, Collier confessed that he and Taylor met Englehardt at a restaurant and that Taylor gave the girl a "green pill" as they walked on Ocean Drive. A Miami Beach detective testified during Monday’s bond hearing that Collier told authorities that he believed the drug was Percocet, a strong pain reliver. He also said that "he went along with [Taylor] as they planned to have sex with the victim,” according to the report.
The police said that the victim was found dead later, semi-nude in the hotel room on Thursday. “The fact that the victim was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics, she could not have consented to sex with the defendants,” according to the police report. Both men face charges for burglary with battery, sexual battery, petty theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.