Wife Charged In Key Largo Man's Murder
KEY LARGO (CBSMiami) – Nearly five years after the body of a Key Largo man was found wrapped in canvas and tucked into a compartment on his boat, the person suspected in his murder has been taken into custody.
It's his wife.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Denise Bozarth, who has been charged with first degree murder in the death of Edward Bozarth, was arrested in Walton County.
"The detectives who investigated this case worked hard to get to this point," said Sheriff Bob Peryam, who made investigating Cold Cases such as this one a priority when he took office.
Bozarth, 62, was found dead July 1, 2007 on board his boat, the "[SCREW] U 2", docked at Gilbert's Resort. He lived on board the boat with his 39-year old wife, Denise, and their two children. His body was found in the starboard engine compartment, wrapped in a canvas sail storage bag. His head was covered with a towel. He'd been dead for approximately a week.
Sheriff's detectives found the body when they received a complaint of an overwhelming odor from a man working on a nearby vessel. When they entered the boat, they found the air conditioners had been set to 60 degrees.
Bozarth had significant traumatic injuries to his face and head. The Medical Examiner, which found he died of blunt force trauma to his head, ruled Bozarth's death a homicide.
Bozarth had been married for nine years to Denise. A short time before his death, Denise had asked him for a separation; her parents picked up their children and took them to Defuniak Springs.
On June 23rd, Denise left Key Largo for Defuniak Springs to join her children there. She told investigators that was the last day she saw her husband alive. Investigators interviewed Denise multiple times since then and said she made many inconsistent statements to them about what happened that day.
Bonnie Colon, who lived on board the vessel with the couple during the summer of 2007 told investigators Denise would speak to her daily about killing her husband, talking specifically about different ways she thought about doing it. Colon also said Denise talked to her about an inheritance Bozarth had gotten from his mother. Denise told her she would get the money upon his death. Investigators confirmed Bozarth had inherited a large sum of money and that Denise was, indeed, a beneficiary upon his death.
Colon told investigators Denise met with her on June 23rd and told her not to go near the boat and that Bozarth had left the area. She said Denise then left as well, and that was the last time Colon spoke to her.
A man who also lived at the marina, David Campbell, admitted to investigators he was having an affair with Denise prior to her husband's death. He said at one point she offered him $10,000.00 for the murder of her husband, but he refused.
