Anatomy of Murder Podcast

Episode: “Three Generations (The Altidor Family)”

Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi (C) and Scott Weinberger (B)
Featured Contributors: Detective Danny Smith (D), Marie Alberth (A), family member

Episode Overview

This episode dissects the tragic and still-unsolved murder of three generations of women from the Altidor family, originally from Haiti. The brutal killings of grandmother Theresa Laverne, her daughter Marie Carmel Altidore, and grandchildren Samantha and Sabrina shook a close-knit community in Miramar, Florida, the surviving family, and law enforcement alike. Through emotional interviews with family members, as well as in-depth commentary from Detective Danny Smith, the hosts offer both the investigative and personal perspectives of a case that continues to haunt all involved, underscored by the enduring hope for justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crime Scene Discovery and Initial Impact

• April 30, 1997:
  • The Altidor family home, known for its warmth and tranquility, becomes the site of a horrific crime.
  • Rookie Officer Detective Danny Smith arrives, but is turned away due to the severity of the scene ([04:20–04:27] D).
• Victims:
  • Theresa Laverne (grandmother, visiting from Haiti), Marie Carmel Altidore, Samantha (2), and Sabrina (6 weeks).
  • Each victim was murdered with extreme violence: blunt force trauma and gunshot wounds ([05:56–07:54] C, D).
• Scene Details:
  • A “white bassinet... had blood. Blood was smeared on the sides... six-week old Sabrina…dead and had obvious blunt trauma wounds” ([05:56] C).
  • Grandmother and mother found in pools of blood near the entrance, both with severe injuries ([06:45–07:54] D).

2. Family Profiles – Remembering the Victims

• Theresa Laverne, “a Democrat lady,” described as the family’s joyful, liberal pillar, loved dancing, and was close to her children ([12:01–12:25] A, B).
• Marie Carmel, known as “Mommy,” was friendly, active in her church, and deeply private ([12:37–13:46] A, C).
• Recent Events:
  • Theresa had flown in for her granddaughter’s christening, underscoring the family’s cultural traditions and tight bonds ([13:38–14:06] A, B).
• Community Reflections:
  • The Altidor home was “their perfect neighbor,” with “never a fight, no screaming, no door slamming” ([14:44–15:09] D).

3. Investigation Challenges and Early Theories

• Crime Scene Forensics:
  • Forensic focus due to lack of external leads; scene meticulously processed for DNA, fingerprints, ballistics, serological evidence ([15:12–17:02] C, D).
• Methods and Motive:
  • Both adults shot and bludgeoned; children beaten to death.
  • A message scrawled on a wall: “I want my 100,000 drug money. They stole my drugs.” ([19:00] D).
  • Detective’s skepticism: “If you were there for drugs or money... why kill a 6-week old that obviously cannot identify you?... Overkill. This is the definition of it. It's rage, it's personal.” ([21:11] D; [08:09–08:25] B, C).

4. Key Suspects & Alibis

• George Altidore (husband and father):
  • Investigated thoroughly due to proximity to victims.
  • Solid alibi confirmed by coworkers; was at work 30 minutes away when the murders likely occurred ([26:36–27:04] D).
  • A landline call from Marie at 7:09am after George had left for work complicates suspicion ([31:00] D).
  • Critiques: Family and police note his quick remarriage and move out of state; behaving “oddly” post-crime ([35:58–36:08] D, A, [36:25] B, C).
  • Handwriting on the wall deemed “most likely not George’s” by experts ([43:09–43:40] D, C).
  • Police confirm: “George's brother in law, Seraphin, he has been completely ruled out” ([45:49–46:06] C, D).

5. The Investigative Dead Ends

• No Forensic Links:
  • No unexplained fingerprints or DNA found in the house, only those of expected individuals ([45:09] B).
• Public Outreach:
  • Press conferences, tip lines, and rewards yield no actionable leads ([38:11–38:57] B, D).
• Staged Crime Scene Hypothesis:
  • Detective’s theory: “The handwriting on the wall was completely a diversion tactic... This was not a robbery. This was made to look like a robbery.” ([41:26–42:12] D, C).

6. Ongoing Efforts and Hope for Justice

• Detective Danny Smith:
  • Personally invested, continues pursuit post–initial investigation and after taking over the case a decade later ([39:45–40:11] D, B).
  • Investigators “excluded” George for the handwriting, but that “opens up everyone else” ([45:43] D).
• Family’s Perspective:
  • “I asked God not to take me from this earth until I have a chance to sit with that person. And the only question I have for that person is why?” ([48:25] A).
  • The pain of loss remains daily: “It's 25 years, but for me, it's every day...I don't have closure.” ([49:07] A).
• Call to Action:
  • Hosts urge anyone with information to come forward: “Somebody knows something and their souls deserve justice.” ([48:20] B).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Justice and Hope:
  • “My dad always said justice. ... When God is giving justice, it's very slow, but at some time he will come. I don't know when, I don't know how, but we'll find whoever did that.” — Marie Alberth ([00:02] A)
• On Encountering the Crime Scene:
  • “Anytime a child is involved in a homicide, that's the pinnacle of evil. A child is innocent... A child is a child.” — Detective Danny Smith ([06:28] D)
• Portrait of the Family:
  • “You can picture a house full of love. It doesn't seem like there would be any reason for someone to murder one of them, let alone four of them.” — Detective Smith ([14:33] B)
• Doubt About the Handwritten Note:
  • “The handwriting on the wall was completely a diversion tactic.” — Detective Smith ([42:06] D)
• On Being Haunted by the Case:
  • “With all the terrible acts that were done in relation to this case, that right there is probably one of the things that keeps me up more nights than anything.” — Detective Smith ([47:42] D)
• For the Sake of the Victims:
  • “Three generations of women, this is a fact.” — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([48:15] C)
  • “I asked God not to take me from this earth until I have a chance to sit with that person. ... Why?” — Marie Alberth ([48:25] A)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:02] – Marie Alberth’s reflection on justice and hope
• [05:56] – Discovery of Sabrina’s body
• [07:54] – All three generations found murdered
• [13:38] – Description of family’s cultural life and christening
• [14:44] – Community and neighbor reflections, no known issues
• [17:30] – Handwriting on the wall (“drug money” note)
• [27:04] – George Altidore’s confirmed work alibi
• [31:00] – Landline call from Marie at 7:09am
• [41:26] – Detective Smith’s staged scene theory
• [43:09] – Handwriting analysis results: inconclusive, likely not George
• [46:23] – Confirmation the case remains unsolved, but hope persists
• [47:00] – Last appeals for justice and community involvement

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a solemn, empathetic, and meticulous tone, balancing the emotional depths of loss with the rigor of homicide investigation. Both hosts, Detective Smith, and Marie Alberth speak with gravitas, heartbreak, and hope, never sensationalizing, always seeking understanding and, above all, justice.

Conclusion & Call to Action

The episode closes with a poignant reminder from the family and Detective Smith that for every “unsolved file in a box,” real lives and legacies hang in the balance. The hosts call on the public to come forward with any information, stressing the ongoing nature of the investigation and the enduring pain for the Altidor family. The story illustrates the complexities — both forensic and human — of finding justice in even the most senseless of crimes.

If you have any information about the Altidore murders, contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.