Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Wife goes 'missing' on belated 'honeymoon cruise' turned murder plot

Episode Date: December 27, 2018

A crumbling marriage and secrecy about finances led Lewis Bennett to murder his wife, Isabella Hellmann, at sea and then stage her death to look like an accident. Nancy Grace looks at the evidence against Bennett with a panel including forensic psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Bober, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan, Atlanta lawyer & juvenile judge Ashley Willcott, and Crime Stories reporter John Lemley. Nancy also visits with songwriter Greer Baxter and Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez about their musical collaboration "Line in the Sand," an inspiring song on the new album "Fandango at the Wall." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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She was on her honeymoon sailing the high seas Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Isabella fell overboard. He told investigators when he awoke, Isabella was gone and the boat was sinking. But prosecutors alleged Bennett killed his wife and deliberately sank the boat to make it look like a tragic accident. According to reports, the experienced boater did not take any measures to signal his position, activate flares, or call for help when he realized his wife was missing. Instead, rescuers found him floating in a dinghy about 1,000 yards from the wreckage. Adding to suspicion was the Coast Guard's discovery of $40,000 in stolen coins hidden on Bennett's life raft. Despite an intense four-day search, Isabella's body was never found.

The couple's 10-month-old daughter, Emilia, was left with Isabella's family during the ill-fated trip. When Bennett arrived to pick up his daughter, Isabella's relatives vehemently accused him of murder. You'll kill my sister. You'll kill my sister. Your sister's dead? Yeah. You'll kill my sister. That from our friends at Daily Mail TV. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories.

What happened to a beautiful young mom, Isabella Hellman? The irony, catch this, is this was their belated honeymoon trip. Oh, yes. The husband delays the honeymoon, and he tells his wife he wants to take her on a romantic catamaran cruise. Somehow, there's a boating accident. Then he goes to sleep. After the boating accident, he goes to sleep. He hears a splash, wakes up, his wife's gone.

And he's floating out in the water on a dinghy with about $40,000 worth of stolen coins. And she's,'s quote missing. Joining me right now, Joseph Scott Morgan, forensics expert, professor of forensics, Jacksonville State University, author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon, Dr. Daniel Bober, forensic psychiatrist. Also with me, juvenile judge, founder of AshleyWilcott.com, Ashley Wilcott. Right now to investigative reporter John Limley with CrimeOnline.com. John Limley, what happened? Well, this real estate broker, Isabella Hellman and her husband, Louis Bennett, as you've mentioned, they were on a two-week-long trip starting from the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin. They were meant to travel first to Puerto Rico,

then on to Cuba before finally coming back to Florida. A friend of Hellman's says that the trip, as we've said, was a belated honeymoon for the newlyweds. Lewis Bennett reportedly said that he was asleep below the deck of their boat when he heard the vessel hit something just before he discovered that his wife was nowhere in sight. After emerging topside, there was no trace of Hellman. She was wearing a life vest when he last saw her, according to Lewis. Now, Hellman's sister has said that she spoke with Hellman by way of a satellite phone just hours before she was reported missing. She said, I'm in the middle of the ocean right now. We left Cuba.

She said that she didn't tell her what time, but we left Cuba. And that's it. She said, I'll see you tomorrow. Well, the whole thing doesn't make sense to me. To Ashley Wilcott, you have a boating accident and then you go down below in the catamaran to take a nap. What? The next thing you know, you wake up to a splash and you managed to escape on a dinghy with $40,000 worth of stolen coins and your wife, quote, disappears. Her body's never been found ever.. So, Nancy, that's where I am, too, the money, right?

Follow the money. Money, sex, rock and roll, all of the things that get involved with these crimes. Once you have the money aspect of it, I don't buy the story at all. Yeah, it just stings. Dr. Daniel Bober, renowned forensic psychiatrist with us. I think I can figure it out, Bober, but on my own, that whole adding thing, two plus two equals four, but go ahead and weigh in, Bober. What a story this guy's come up with. Yeah, Nancy, the thing smells really bad, but remember, it's, you know, one of those things

where, you know, it's very hard to prove, you know, and I don't want to get into an argument with you about this, but, you know, $40,000 in coins. Well, then why are you here? Then why are you here? You know I'm going to argue with you because what you say is going to be totally wrong. Go ahead. I don't know what it is yet. I'll proceed.

Don't confuse me with the facts. $40,000 in coins in the dinghy does not necessarily prove that he killed her. Obviously, it doesn't look too good but it's not a slam dunk stolen coins stolen coins even stolen doesn't prove that he killed her i'm not saying that he didn't kill her but i'm just saying that it's just you know it doesn't smell too good but it's not proof you know what bober you really beat all you just beat all joe scott morgan can you please help me out? Oh, wow, I don't know if I can or not

What I do know is that we don't have a body at this point in time And, you know, one of the curious things about this case in my reading is that Oh, you mean the body that was wearing the life jacket that never popped up? Yeah, that never popped up Is that you've got this guy that guy that is essentially, uh, taking a few weeks below deck, uh, so that he can sleep while they've been on this excursion. And he's rated as a really high swimmer. And one of the articles I read it, I read she's rated as a very poor swimmer. And I'm thinking, why in the world are you going to leave her in charge of the boat in the middle,

you know, in the middle of this vastness out there. And, you know, he claims that they hit something. They just hit something and she disappears. And all of a sudden the boat is capsized. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Did somebody release the Kraken? Because they're out in the middle of the ocean. What are they going to hit, Joe Scott? Yeah, I have no idea. A coral reef. I don't know. A bottlenose whale. A coral reef. The great Cuban coral reef. I've dived all over the world. I've never heard of a coral reef. Out in the middle of the ocean.

Now, on the other side of Cuba, there's good diving. There's no coral reef. You're going to have to go far, far away for that. Yeah. So let's revise. You back to the Kraken theory? Is that what they hit? No, I don't know what they hit. but he did say that the thing was foundering.

Oh, he said. He said. Ashley Wilcott says, when do we start taking the husband's word for it? Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. This case, Phil, I don't mean to be so cynical. I just think follow the money in this particular case is where the facts are going to take us. Well, speaking of money, John Limley, isn't it true that he didn't have two dimes to rub together while she owned a condo and had a savings account?

Am I wrong? You are exactly correct. As far as their yearly budget went, it was heavily weighted in her favor with her being the money winner. Listen to this extraordinary sound being played at WPBF with Gianna Cassetta as a police body cam catches a heated confrontation between Isabella's sister and her husband. On May 28, 2017, Louis Bennett went to his in-law's home in Boca Raton to collect items that were taken from his home. I want it back. No, I want it back. Diana, why would you like to? You can go ahead and search the house. So you don't have any of these things? You don't have the laptop, you don't have the iPad, you don't have the bag. I don't want anything. Bennett

called the Boca Raton Police Department for a civil assist. The officer's body camera recorded the heated exchange between Bennett and Isabella Hellman's family. If you guys want me to be here with Amelia, you guys, you've got to be better than this. You don't need clouds. You're not going to see her again. You'll kill my sister. You'll kill my sister. But now a bizarre twist in the story of Isabella Hellman's disappearance, leaving her family angry and bitter. The British smuggler was taken into federal custody for transporting the stolen coins and eventually charged with his wife's murder. Now, one month before his trial,

Lewis Bennett has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after striking a shocking plea deal that sees the murder charge against him drop. What? Involuntary manslaughter? The main charge of second-degree murder dropped? No wonder her family is distraught, bitter, upset, beside themselves. This young mom, absolutely gorgeous Isabella Hellman, disappears at sea. Her husband, 41-year-old Louis Bennett, found floating peacefully in a dinghy with $40,000 of stolen coins stolen from his employer. The source of anger? Because the husband is going to walk free.

Bottom line, Ashley Wilcott, involuntary manslaughter in that jurisdiction carries a max of eight years in this case. And what this means is all he admitted was he did a negligent act that led to her death. Eight years. And to top it all off, to add insult to injury, Ashley Wilcott, his family, his family has the granddaughter, the two-year-old little girl, with them in the UK. To top it all off, Ashley, involuntary manslaughter, eight years, so probably walking four. Exactly, Nancy. He got a sweetheart deal. I mean, that is one heck of a plea. Who wouldn't take that if charged with murder? Because like you said, Nancy, he could be out in four years for killing his wife, murdering his wife. I feel for that family of that wife because that would just make me sick to my stomach every day. Listen to this.

Through their attorney, Isabella Hellman's family released a statement saying Lewis Bennett Listen to this. no life vest, no harness, and when she went missing, he did not look for her at sea. Hellman's family says they hope Bennett will show remorse for what he's done and allow them to share his two-year-old daughter, Amelia, with his family in England. That's where the child has been for more than a year. The only thing that would make this less bitter is if Amelia came back to the United States and spent time with Isabella's family. You're hearing from WPBF-TV's Gianna Caserta, and you're also hearing from the family lawyer talking about baby Emilia. And apparently the source of the husband's anger was that he no longer felt the same toward his wife after she had

the baby. Oh, please, you know. And he was furious over the spelling of the daughter's name. Emilia was spelled E-M-I-L-I-A. You know what? When I nearly died in childbirth, okay, Lucy and I nearly died, on the spot, I changed Lucy's name. It was going to be Haley, after Hallie's comment, once in a lifetime, to Lucy, after my grandmother, who I felt her presence with me during my delivery. And I picked out John David's name. And David,

my husband, he never said a word, not a word, Dr. Daniel Bober, as he should not have, I might add. It wasn't him lying there losing blood. It was mommy. Okay. Which I like to point out the twins, whenever they argue with me. Okay. But it's starting to affect Dr. Bober because I now say, who nearly in childbirth they go you mom you you nearly died sadly it's worn off I've got to come up with something new my point is what does he have to be upset about or no longer loved her after she had the baby he didn't quote feel the same I totally agree with you Nancy I always laugh when you know you're talking to a couple and the man says we're pregnant I just want to be like we're pregnant pregnant, you're pregnant, or she's pregnant.

So it's unfortunately something that the woman has to experience and has to bear the brunt of the pregnancy and the labor and all the health stuff that goes with that. You know, what's interesting to Joseph Scott Morgan, and you keep saying there's no proof, there's no proof. Joe Scott, I know you make your living on hard forensic evidence, but have you ever heard the term circumstantial evidence? Yeah, I've come across it a few times, Nancy. Yeah, okay, good to know, because circumstantial evidence under the law is given the same weight as direct evidence, such as an eyewitness DNA or a fingerprint, okay? The same weight under the law in every jurisdiction in this country,

including our territories. So long story short, you may not be able to figure it out because you don't have your fingerprint kit out there and you're not getting touch DNA off her body, which has never been found. But in my mind, I can still add two plus two and i'm getting four and now he plays guilty to involuntary and gets eight years i mean you know john limley on eight years in our crowded uh jail house he'll probably walk in four four four years without a doubt jackie here in the studio keeps

going what about the coins why are you obsessed with the coins why going, what about the coins? Why are you obsessed with the coins? Why do you care about the coins? This woman is dead. John, will you just please answer, didn't he get like seven months on the coins? Exactly, on that. There, Jackie, are you happy? He got seven months for the stolen coins, okay? So can we get back to the murder? The original charge that he was facing before his plea was second-degree murder. In court documents,

investigators pointed to what we've already said, a predictable motive, the money and property that Hellman brought to the marriage, backed by Bennett filing for a presumptive death certificate just four months after her disappearance. In Florida, there's a presumption of death after five years. So I'm sure it was him leading the crusade to have her declared dead. Her family now quote bitter. The case ended in a cheap plea. Ashley Wilcott, juvenile judge and veteran trial lawyer. Ashley, you can prove a murder case without a body. Why should this guy get a gold star for getting rid of her body? So I agree with you. Circumstantial evidence obviously can be enough to prove charges. You don't need the body. The problem probably that prosecution decided was their problem was we are going to save money. We are going to not try this

case. We are not going to take that risk of not having a body. Instead, we're going to save money. We are going to not try this case. We are not going to take that risk of not having a body. Instead, we're going to give him this plea. I'm not saying I agree with it because he could be out in four, which is devastating. I just think that's the choice that district attorney's office made in this case. Instead of trying to prove circumstantial evidence, they gave him a sweetheart deal. Well, maybe I'm missing something. Let me go pick on Joe Scott Morgan for a moment. Forensics expert, professor of forensics, and author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon. Let me understand this, Joe Scott. So he leaves the catamaran on a life raft that's packed with supplies and all the stolen coins. He is the experienced sailor.

He is the one that after the first boating accident, I guess that's when he hit the Kraken, he decides to go downstairs and go to sleep. And that the sounds of either a splash or sails loose, flapping in the wind, woke him up. He goes upstairs and she's gone. And now he can't quite remember if he called out her name to look for her or not. So you're telling me, Joe Scott, that that's not enough to take to a

jury oh you can take it to a jury i think that it is compelling but you know you know human nature well enough to know that they want to see a body and i think that the da the prosecutor here has made it made a choice well maybe i'm not understanding the nature of water. Because if she just fell off with a life raft on, with a safety vest on, wouldn't she just be floating right there? I mean, isn't that what safety vests are for? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but she wasn't, was she?

No, she wasn't. And they're never going to find her body, not out in that vastness. Not at the bottom of the ocean, weighed down by cement blocks, I guess not. Take a listen to this. This video shows Isabella's mother pleading with her son-in-law not to take her granddaughter, Amelia, who was sitting in the backseat of the car. At one point, she even collapses to the ground. Look what you're doing. You already killed this man's sister. What else do you want?

Now you want to kill my mom? That's what you want now? That's what you want now? The incident came just 13 days after Isabella vanished at sea during a boating trip with her husband. Bennett is charged with second-degree murder in connection with her death. At one point, the officer suggests Bennett allow the family to see Amelia before he leaves. If you want to let them see the baby one more time, that would be probably good will.

You know what I'm saying? I'll stick around if you want to let them hold the baby for a few minutes. Bennett denies the request, gets in the car and drives off with his daughter. That was from WPBF-TV. And as far as I'm concerned, to Louis Bennett, rot in hell. Hi, Nancy Grace here.

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consider using Truthfinder. What you find may astound you. Go to truthfinder.com forward slash Nancy right away to start searching. Truthfinder.com forward slash Nancy. Truthfinder.com forward slash Nancy truthfinder dot com forward slash Nancy find the truth. Crime stories with Nancy Grace. ¿Te quedaste en México para los niños en la frontera? Trying to look past this thing that's between us Wondering when all this anger will fade

The stars look the same from where we're standing Why can't we fix this mess we've made? Let's not forget that our fates are as one just because we feel numb and betrayed. There is love. There must be something good, something strong between you and me. There is hope. We must try. If we don't regret the rest of our lives side by side. You are hearing the most beautiful song, and it actually brought tears to my eyes.

That is called Line in the Sand. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us. Right now, I'm not talking about murder and mayhem. I am talking about something wonderful and beautiful. That song, now adopted by UNICEF, means so much to me because it was written by a beautiful young girl,

a very dear friend of mine, Greer Baxter. And it is being sung, you probably recognize that voice, by Broadway star of Hamilton, Mandy Gonzalez. And right now, both of them are with me. Greer, that is incredible. You are a university student. And, you know, when I read the news, I'm always looking at, oh, there's been another frat party where there was this drunken incident. This happened.

That happened. You, on the other hand, have written this incredible music. Tell me what motivated you. Where did you get the idea for Line in the Sand? Well, thank you so much for having us on, Nancy. I'm honored to be here with Mandy. Well, so the title, Line in the Sand, refers to the symbolic border between two countries,

but also the fact that this conflict and disagreement between people is something that we as people have sort of drawn up ourselves and it can easily be erased as a line in the sand. And it also means a point beyond which one will not go. And so I titled the song that because there are already irreversible consequences to what has taken place. And it really has to stop. Greer Baxter with me. Greer, I'm trying to imagine you writing these lyrics.

You wrote the lyrics. You wrote the music and the words. Where were you when you wrote this song what were you on a bus were you in your bedroom were you in the bathtub where were you um i was so it was actually during midterm exams at at college but i so i i locked myself in this the music room that's in the basement of my dorm for about 36 hours until the song was finished and ready to send to the producer. And I really didn't leave because once you leave one of those rooms there, you're not getting back in. And so I had, and I had already really been immersing

myself in all of the news related to the issue. But the song is about the human element of the issue, which is sadly often overshadowed by politics. And I wrote this song. I know that you're talking about the wall and what's going on at our border with Mexico right now. And you know what, guys, whether you are pro the wall or anti the wall, there is no doubt that people are suffering. I don't know the answer, but I know people are suffering. And I was thinking about that the other night. I had cooked supper, and we were all gathered around the table. You know, Greer, my mom, lives with us now. And I was just thinking how blessed we were. And it was turkey hot dogs.

The children were so excited. They were having turkey hot dogs. And I was just thinking how so many people have so little. Also with me, along with Greer Baxter, and I'm going to play some more of this incredible song, Line in the Sand, is superstar on Broadway, Mandy Gonzalez. You know, Mandy, in my world, all lawyers think they're stars, I guess. But you're the real deal. Mandy Gonzalez starring in Hamilton.

Mandy, your career is incredible. And you're so young. You've been, of course, you were at Nina Rosario and Off-Broadway. You've been in so many productions. How did you find out about Greer, that there is a Greer Baxter in the world, and that she had created this incredible song? Oh, well, thank you so much for your kind words. And I'm so honored to be here with you, Nancy, and with Greer. When I found out about Greer's song because of a project that was brought to me called Fandango at the Wall, which is an album that was recorded at the border of Mexico and San Diego. And it's an album that was done by Arturo O'Farrill

and Kabir Sehgal. And they approached me with this and said, you know, there's a festival that happens every year at the same place. And it is a festival that involves musicians on both sides of the wall on the Mexican side and on the American side and they play together through this through this border that's there and they create music and so what they

wanted to do is film a documentary and bring more musicians from both sides to the wall and they were going to record it. And they asked me if I wanted to be part of it. And because of my Mexican-American heritage, because of my love of family and children, I wanted to be a part of it. And so when we were putting it together, they approached me with two songs,

which are on the album, Amor Sin Fronteras, Love Without Borders, and a new song by a new songwriter. And it was called Line in the Sand. A new song by a new writer? That's Greer Baxter. Yes. And when I heard this song, I said said I have to sing it I thought that it said everything about what I felt the situation that's there represented you know I think that so many people forget about the human aspect of this. Well, hold on.

I want to tell a little bit more about Mandy Gonzalez because you may know her as a Broadway star. You may know her as a TV star. She's been in The Good Wife, Third Watch, Guiding Light, Madam Secretary. I mean, she's been everywhere. But you didn't know this. Her father is Mexican, her mom Jewish and Polish. She went to high school in California. She went to California Institute of the Arts.

Then she worked as a background singer for Bette Midler, and she moved to New York where she worked as a coat check attendant while trying to get on stage. And I can tell you a story about little Greer Baxter, who's not so little anymore. Her mom and I go way, way back. Her mom is a book editor, one of the best in the business. And somehow our worlds collided and I remember seeing Greer don't get embarrassed Greer dancing around on her den floor in her pjs in front of the Christmas tree and now that beautiful little thing has created

this I want you to listen there is love there must be something, something strong between you and me. There is hope. We must try. If we don't regret it, the rest of our lives are side by side. Stars look the same from where we are standing. Why can't we fix this mess we've made? Let's not forget that our fates are as one just because we feel numb and betrayed. Greer Baxter, Amanda Gonzalez with me now.

And Nancy, you know that's also Greer on the piano playing as well with Arturo. He did a little solo, but that's Greer behind me playing, which is fabulous, too. Thank you for adding that. I did know that. I did know. I'm going to play the whole thing in a moment, but you two,

Greer Baxter and Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez, make me feel like totally the ugly duckling. There's really no doubt about that. I mean, with all that talent, all that talent, Greer, and that talent, Amanda, your voice, your acting. Together, the two of you. Greer Baxter, what is your message today?

And again, this is not whether you want the wall or you don't want the wall or you're pro-Trump or you're anti-Trump. It doesn't matter. This is about people that are suffering. I don't know the answer and I don't claim to know the answer, but I do know I don't want people to suffer, especially children. Greer, what is your message with all the hours of work you've poured into this beautiful song? What's your message? Well, I think we can all agree and relate to the desire

to be safe and with our families and for our families to be safe. And that's really what is at the core of this issue. And everyone deserves to feel safe. Children should feel protected and not scared. And loved ones shouldn't be separated. And we're all human beings. We're all the same. We all feel and hurt and love no matter where we're from.

And so that's really what I would say. And all change comes out of awareness and every little act counts so everybody should be getting involved and raising awareness and really you know what when you say that i feel like that's a battle i've been fighting for so many years on a completely different front trying to protect people mandy gonzalez this song has now been adopted by UNICEF. I can remember as a little girl with those little cardboard boxes. Jackie Howard, do you remember the little card? I mean, the paper boxes, really.

And you would go around and collect money for UNICEF. And now you guys have created this masterpiece. And UNICEF has adopted it. Yes, and I think it's a tribute also to where we come from. You know, we come from very loving families, very loving mothers. I know my mother, back in the late 60s, early 70s, wanted to join the Peace Corps. And eventually that's how she met my father, by writing letters to soldiers. So I think that empathy, I was taught at a very young age.

And I think that I just feel so proud that I'm a part of this album, that I'm a part of this song, and that UNICEF has taken it as their own. And the hashtag is A Child is a Child because a child is a child. And we all, no matter what side we're on, we're all on the same side, which is the human side. So I just won't give up with hope. Man, that I just, I won't give up with hope. Man, that is beautiful. The way that you two are phrasing this is really touching my heart. And, you know, as we are all gathered together at the holidays, many of us around our table celebrating the season and all the love.

Let's don't forget those less fortunate than we are. Greer Baxter and Mandy Gonzalez with us, and there's really nothing more to say except this, the line in the sand. Para mi querida Tia Maria, te line in the sand. fade. The stars look the same, but where we're standing, why can't we fix this mess we've made? Let's not forget

that our fates are as one just because we feel numb and betrayed. There is love, there must be something good, something strong between you and me. There is love, there must be Something good, something strong between you and me There is hope, we must try

If we don't, we'll regret it the rest of our lives Side by side, forever You and me, we are stronger together Hoping to find a path to forgiveness Knowing that pride always gets in the way We all want a place where it's safe to be human The welcome embrace of a brand new day Let's not allow what we have to be lost just because of what someone might say

there is love there must be something good something strong between you and me there is hope we must try if we don't regret The rest of our lives Side by side Forever You and me We are stronger Together There is love, there must be Something good, something strong between you and me.

There is hope. We must try. If we don't regret the rest of our lives. You know, it's only fitting that with Greer and Mandy talking about children who are suffering during this holiday season and year-round, so much less fortunate than we are, that my vision of Greer Baxter is at Christmas, dancing around the tree in her PJs. There is love, there must be Something good, something strong between you and me

There is hope hope we must try. If we don't regret the rest of our lives side by side forever. You and me, we are stronger together. There is love. There must be. Nancy Grace, Crime Story, signing off. Goodbye, friend. You're listening to an iHeart Podcast.