Who was Elliot Blair? Mystery surrounds Orange County deputy public defender's death in Mexico resort
ROSARITO, MEXICO: California officials stated that Elliot D Blair, an attorney for the Orange County Public Defender's office, died on Saturday, January 14 while in Mexico with his wife to commemorate their first wedding anniversary.
County Public Defender Martin Schwarz stated that Blair, a 33-year-old assistant public defender, died in Rosarito Beach, a well-known resort town close to Mexico's northern border, according to the Orange County Register. Blair's death was not immediately known, but his relatives claimed he had been the victim of "a brutal crime" in a GoFundMe page set up on his behalf. The page's creator, Annie Rodriguez, another employee of the public defender's office, stated, "Elliot was known as a patient and caring 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." His wife, who was named as only Kim in the fundraiser, wasn't involved in the incident. Rodriguez claims that she also worked as a public defender.
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Rodriguez stated, "There are not enough words to express the level of love he had for Kim. Kim was his life... Kim's heart is shattered." The Blair family has created a GoFundMe page to help Kim navigate the formalities and bring her husband's body back to the United States.
A report in Spanish by Noticias BC in Rosarito stated that Blair died after falling from a hotel's fourth-floor balcony at the Las Rocas Resort and Spa. The police report states that when municipal officials arrived on the site at around 1 am on Saturday, January 14, they discovered Blair lying face-down and not breathing.
Who was Elliot Blair?
Elliot D Blair was a lawyer who started working for the public defender's office as soon as he passed the bar in 2017. Schwarz referred to Blair as a "devoted husband, terrific person and a fantastic lawyer who dedicated his life to serving his clients and helping the county's most vulnerable."
Blair is survived by his wife Kim, his mother Stella Blair, sister Candice Wilson, and nephew Samuel. Schwarz stated that he was "working with local and federal officials" to learn more about the incident because the Mexican government has only recently begun to contact Blair's family about it.