George and Florence

Summary

Felonious Florida: George and Florence | Episode 6 Summary

Overview

In Episode 6 of Season 5, titled "George and Florence," Felonious Florida delves deep into the haunting unsolved case of the Altidor Massacre. This episode meticulously unpacks the evidence, investigates the suspect's alibi, and explores the family's enduring quest for justice nearly three decades after the brutal murders. Hosted by David Schutz, the episode offers a compelling narrative that intertwines investigative journalism with personal testimonies, painting a vivid picture of a case that has remained stubbornly unresolved.

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The Altidor Massacre: A Tragic Beginning

On a serene spring morning in 1997, the peaceful community of Miramar, Florida, was shattered by the quadruple homicide of three generations of the Altidore family. George Altidore, the husband, father, and son-in-law, became the primary suspect due to the overwhelming circumstantial evidence against him. However, his seemingly airtight alibi—supported by a phone call from his wife, Marie, placing him at work during the time of the murders—left investigators stymied.

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Suspicious Behavior and Circumstantial Evidence

Fabiola Altidore, Marie’s cousin, provides crucial insights into the family's dynamics and George's behavior leading up to the tragedy. She recounts the morning after the murders when George appeared unusually composed, having freshened up while the rest of the family showed signs of acute distress.

Fabiola [02:17]: "They thought he was grieving like they were. And then I kept saying, no, he's not. He has wet tears. He has none and it's his family."

Her observations raised red flags about George's authenticity in expressing grief, leading to increased suspicion among the family members.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) report, led by Special Agent Leslie D'Ambrosia, summarized the key findings that painted George as a controlling figure whose history of dominance and jealousy could have culminated in the murders. The report also dismissed the idea of an external home invasion, instead suggesting the killings were personalized and premeditated.

FDLE Report (07:21): "These murders were a crime of interpersonal violence. Overkill was exhibited which indicates personalization of the crime."

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The Elusive Alibi and Investigative Dead-Ends

Despite mounting evidence, George's alibi remained unshakable for years. The supposed phone call from Marie at 7:09 AM placed George at work, a claim he maintained. Investigators, including Detective Ron Peluzzo, grappled with the absence of hard evidence and the strength of George's legal representation, led by high-profile attorneys Vincent Farina and Richard Diaz.

Detective Ron Peluzzo [15:32]: "Until something catastrophic comes along. I don't see how he's not the one who did this."

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A New Investigation: Uncovering Hidden Connections

Fast forward to 2007, Detective Danny Smith, driven by a personal connection to the case, spearheads a renewed investigation. His discovery of George's remarriage to Florence Daudin in 2001 introduced a new layer to the mystery. Florence's unexpected presence in George's life, especially her visit to the Altidor home the night before the murders, warranted further scrutiny.

Detective Danny Smith [26:14]: "He just kind of walked away from it. That always bothered me too."

Investigators unearth that Florence was involved in George’s activities shortly before the killings, suggesting a potential motive rooted in personal relationships or jealousy. However, concrete evidence linking Florence to the crime remained elusive.

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Technological Advances and Renewed Hope

Embracing advancements in DNA technology, Detective Smith re-examines the evidence with modern forensic methods. Despite multiple attempts, including using the M Vac system to extract microscopic DNA particles from the crime scene, no definitive genetic evidence was found linking George or Florence to the murders.

George Altidore's Attorney [29:37]: "That was done. And no DNA was found on the wall on any of the testing."

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Family's Plea for Justice

The Altidore family, especially Fabiola, remains adamant about George's culpability, arguing that the circumstantial evidence is sufficient for a trial. Their frustration stems from decades of unanswered questions and the perceived inaction of law enforcement.

Fabiola [34:10]: "Everything that needs to be brought to the table is on the table. Now. What are you going to do with it?"

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Investigators' Dilemma and Legal Constraints

Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss emphasizes the limitations faced by law enforcement in proceeding without concrete evidence, despite acknowledging the circumstantial case against George.

Chief Delrish Moss [39:45]: "We work in a system that allows us to do certain things, and we can only work within those parameters."

The prosecutors require probable cause and reasonable proof to charge George officially, a standard that the existing evidence has not met.

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Enduring Grief and Lingering Questions

Years have passed, but the scars of the Altidor Massacre remain deeply etched in the family's lives. As Detective Smith retires without resolution, the family's hope persists that one day justice will be served.

Detective Ron Peluzzo [43:42]: "I want justice for my mom, my sister, and my two nieces, mostly the children, Samantha and Sabrina."

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Conclusion

"George and Florence | 6" masterfully navigates the complexities of the Altidor Massacre case, highlighting the intricate web of evidence, personal testimonies, and the relentless pursuit of truth by both the investigators and the grieving family. As the case remains unsolved, the episode underscores the enduring pain of loss and the unyielding hope for justice, leaving listeners contemplating the elusive nature of truth in the face of overwhelming odds.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Fabiola Altidore [02:17]: "They thought he was grieving like they were. And then I kept saying, no, he's not. He has wet tears. He has none and it's his family."

• FDLE Special Agent Leslie D'Ambrosia [07:21]: "These murders were a crime of interpersonal violence. Overkill was exhibited which indicates personalization of the crime."

• Detective Danny Smith [15:57]: "You go into the woods and a compass always points north, no matter what you do."

• Fabiola Altidore [34:10]: "Everything that needs to be brought to the table is on the table. Now. What are you going to do with it?"

• Detective Ron Peluzzo [43:42]: "I want justice for my mom, my sister, and my two nieces, mostly the children, Samantha and Sabrina."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Felonious Florida not only sheds light on the dark corridors of a cold case but also humanizes the relentless pursuit of justice by those left behind. It serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of unsolved crimes on families and communities alike.

For more detailed insights and to explore additional episodes, visit feloniousflorida.com.

Transcript

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[Narrator]

Notice how ads always pop up at.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

The worst moments when the killer's identity.

[Narrator]

Is about to be revealed during that perfect meditation flow on Amazon Music, we.

[Fabiola]

Believe in keeping you in the moment.

[Narrator]

That's why we've got millions of ad free podcast episodes so you can stay completely immersed in every story, every reveal, every breath. Download the Amazon Music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts. Ad free included with product A Listener Note this episode contains descriptions of graphic violence that some listeners may find disturbing. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Marie Altidore's cousin Fabiola remembered seeing George Altidore for the first time after his family was murdered. His wife, Marie, their baby daughters, Samantha and Sabrina, and his mother in law, Teresia. It was the morning after the bodies were discovered, Thursday, May 1, 1997. Relatives were gathering at Georgia's sister's home in Pembroke Pines, struggling to comprehend the tragedy. For 12 agonizing hours they had searched for answers, but Fabiola's instincts were whispering suspicions. She had seen disturbing changes in Marie since she married George. And now this.

[Fabiola]

They were like, well, let's go upstairs and see George. So I go upstairs and as I walk upstairs, the first thing I noticed is that all of us had on the same clothes that we had on when we heard the news. He has on fresh clothes. Like he showered and changed.

[Narrator]

Fabiola and the rest of the family hadn't slept, hadn't showered, hadn't changed. They couldn't. Fabiola whispered to her cousins, asking if they thought it was strange that George had taken the time to clean up.

[Fabiola]

They thought he was grieving like they were. And then I kept saying, no, he's not. You have wet tears. He has none and it's his family. So less than five minutes after I make that statement, we start praying. And he's lying. I can still see him lying in the bed, fly like. And I'm like Regine, there's no tears coming out his eyes.

[Narrator]

Regine is one of Fabiola's cousins, and she was also troubled by George's behavior.

[Fabiola]

The man was not crying. He was faking the emotion. I mean, it looked like this. There was not one tear in his eyes when we were at that house. Not one. I sat on the chair and all I did was watch the room.

[Narrator]

As Regine and Fabiola watched, the family prayed. And then George finally spoke.

[Fabiola]

He says, family, I don't want us to have hatred. I want us to pray for whoever did this, to forgive whoever did this. And I said, that's it.

[Narrator]

Forgive the person who hours earlier had slaughtered his family, his two baby girls.

[Fabiola]

In the middle of the prayer, I said, I'm done. And I walked out.

[Narrator]

Fabiola's suspicions about George had turned from whispers to screams.

[Fabiola]

I don't care how religious you are, I don't care how sanctimonious you are. I don't care how forgiving you are. When you less than 24 hours, you found out that your entire family has been murdered, including your six week old baby in a bassinet, you're not asking for whoever did this to be forgiven. I'm not saying it can't happen, but it ain't happening in 24, less than 24 hours. I'm sorry.

[Narrator]

From the South Florida Sun Sentinel, this is Felonious Florida, the podcast that leads you into the dark side of the Sunshine State. I'm David Schutz. For the past year, I've been poring through this case because there's something unique and remarkable that sets it apart from so many other murder cases. And that's just how close to being solved the Altidor massacre has always seemed to be. From the earliest days, the investigation appeared to be heading toward one conclusion, that George Altidore would be charged with killing his family. But some cases are more stubborn than they appear. This was one of them. And it was also one that held many surprises. In this final episode of the season, one surprise in particular will stun everybody involved and give the case new life. This is episode six, George and Florence. By the fall of 1997, detectives working on the Altidor murders had chased hundreds of leads, collected thousands of pages of documents, and conducted hundreds of hours of interviews. Publicly, Miramar police officials were saying very little. The few details that had come out in the media came from a few court filings, family members, and even George Altidore's lawyers. Today we have much more information about what detectives knew at the time and what they didn't Months after the murders, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement completed an internal investigative report that summarized the facts of the case to that point. FDLE Special Agent Leslie d' Ambrosia led the analysis and wrote the report. She was one of the only investigators involved in the case who declined to speak to us for this podcast. But her report is an important outline of the most crucial case details and it culminates in a dramatic and decisive conclusion. I asked our editor, Gretchen Day Bryant to read key findings of Agent d' Ambros report outlining the investigation's findings, starting with George Altidore's Controlling Personality the investigation.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

Revealed that George Altidore exhibited a great amount of control over his wife's activities. Following her marriage, friends and family noticed a change in her personality. She became withdrawn from social contacts. George Altidore had a history of dominating and controlling his former wife. Joe Siedi stated that he owned a firearm and often threatened her with it. She advised that George Altidore was extremely jealous and had threatened to kill her with the gun.

[Narrator]

This was incredibly important. It's reasonable to assume that George was equally controlling of his second wife, Marie. After all, family told police she had become withdrawn and isolated. D' Ambros report went on to conclude that the Altidor killer wasn't a stranger and hadn't forced their way into the Crescent Drive home. And the report left no room for doubt. The mysterious message scrawled on the wall in the Altidor home was a deliberate attempt to stage the crime scene. Whoever wrote it wanted the police to think this was an attempt to recover stolen drug money.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

Concerning the message written on the wall, Individuals involved in these crimes do not write messages on the wall. On the contrary, they wear masks and gloves to conceal their identities. Home invasion or Retaliation? Robbers have a primary objective of collecting valuables and expediting the robbery processes. When valuables are not obtained, victims are often restrained and tortured. Homicides have occurred when victims have resisted. The primary motive is not to kill because it draws too much attention to the crime. The victims in this case were neither.

[Narrator]

Restrained nor tortured, and d' Ambrosia pointed out significant inconsistencies in George's statement to police.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

George Altidore stated he left paperwork in his office for Marie to use to enroll their daughter in daycare on the day of the murders. If George expected his wife to retrieve the paperwork, then it would not be consistent that he would lock his office door. The vehicle located in the locked garage had been manually disabled. George Altidore could not have expected Marie to travel anywhere when her only form of transportation had been dismantled.

[Narrator]

Detectives had determined that George was in possession of that part of the car that was missing. Piece by piece, d' Ambros report builds a case pointing to one suspect.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

These murders were a crime of interpersonal violence. There is no reason to eliminate a family that includes a two year old and an infant unless there is a personal relationship between the young victims and their attacker. Overkill was exhibited which indicates personalization of the crime.

[Narrator]

And the final line of d' Ambrosia's report is unambiguous.

[Marie Altidore's Cousin]

In review of all the information, a conclusion can be made that George Altidore killed his family.

[Narrator]

And so it seemed. Miramar police were on the brink of a major announcement.

[News Reporter]

It's been six months since George Altidore came home to find his entire family murdered in cold blood. He appeared to be a distraught husband and father. Miramar police have hinted Altidore was their main suspect, but did not have enough evidence to make an arrest. How soon before you expect to make.

[Narrator]

An arrest in this case?

[News Reporter]

That again, I can't say. I don't know.

[Narrator]

That's what police officials were saying publicly. But unofficially, reports hit the airwaves. That brought a surge of hope. Maybe justice was on the way.

[News Reporter]

7News has learned Altidore could be arrested and charged very soon. Within the next few weeks, police expect to present their evidence to the state attorney's office. A grand jury could hear the case, or a warrant could be issued for Altidore's arrest.

[Narrator]

But days passed, then weeks, then months. George Altidore was not arrested or charged. A warrant was not issued. A grand jury did not hear the case. And police didn't present their evidence to the state attorney to consider charges because behind the scenes, detectives had an insurmountable problem. Detective Ron Peluzzo knew it. Every piece of evidence he had was circumstantial. Oh, there was a lot of it. But hard evidence, physical evidence, There was none. And it was worse than that. George had an alibi. That phone call supposedly made by Marie from inside the altador home at 7:09am on the day of the murders. If you believed George, he was already well on his way to work by then. And his wife was still alive when he left. Paluzzo did have serious doubts about the timeline George had constructed because no one at the plant where George worked could verify that he arrived at 7:30 that morning, as he claimed it was possible. Detectives believed that he arrived 15 to 30 minutes later. An FBI forensic sciences study conducted one year after the murders presented a remarkable theory that investigators believed. The study hypothesized that if George arrived at work just 10 minutes later than he claimed, he could have waited for Marie's call to end, committed the murders, and cleaned up. This is an Excerpt from the FBI's study. The investigators believe this hypothesis, theorizing George Altidore was lightly dressed, perhaps in nothing but shorts, when he committed the crimes. They note that the door to the pool was uncharacteristically left open. And they hypothesized that he committed the murders, ran and jumped in the pool to wash himself off, stored the shorts in a bag, quickly staged the crime scene by writing the message on the wall, got dressed, and left for work. They theorized that he carried away the murder weapons and any bloodstained clothing items for later disposal. Since the co workers of George Altidore seem somewhat uncertain of the time he arrived for work on that specific day, he could have had more time to commit the murders if he actually got to work later than normal. So that was the FBI's theory. But the only way to turn that scenario from theory to fact was to prove George arrived late to work that day. There were no cameras at the plant or anywhere along George's driving route, and no witnesses saw him arrive. There was no way for detectives to disprove Georgia's timeline. His alibi has held up for nearly 30 years. The fact is, thousands of hours of investigative work had amassed little more than theories. Miramar police feared that Georgia's high profile attorneys at the time, Vincent Farina and Richard Diaz, would have no problem punching holes in any case brought against George. While George never spoke to the media, his lawyers did. To insist on their client's innocence.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Altidore's attorneys say they've done their research and their client doesn't have a motive.

[News Reporter]

We're satisfied that he can account for all his time and his activities that day.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

So exactly what happened on April 30.

[News Reporter]

Could be one of two things. A total accident. Someone coming into the house, going to the wrong house, missing the target. Or a planned revenge on George Altidore directed at his family, something he loved and cared for the most.

[Narrator]

Investigators found no evidence to support the lawyer's claims, and as the months passed, no new leads surfaced. No witnesses came forward, and the investigation stalled. Justice felt further away than ever. On December 14, 2003 years, 7 months, and 14 days after the murders, the case was officially declared cold, and the investigation was put on the shelf. Detective Paluzzo moved on to other cases and eventually retired.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

It's just.

[Detective Danny Smith]

It's hard. It's difficult. You know, you think about these things, okay. And this particular case, I always think about it. It's something that I'll deal with the rest of my life. You know, I can see those two little babies there. I see the mother and the grandmother, and it's just. I'd like to get some closure on it.

[Narrator]

Detective Paluzzo has never wavered in his suspicions about George Eltidore.

[Detective Danny Smith]

You go into the woods and a compass always points north, no matter what you do. Okay. No matter what direction I went in this investigation, it always started to point towards George. Until something catastrophic comes along. I don't see how he's not the one who did this.

[Narrator]

After the murders of his wife, daughters and mother in law, George Altidore remained largely away from public view. His family and friends from his church insulated him from the police and the media. George never returned to his job at Aqua Air, and he never returned to his Crescent Drive home. He had stopped paying the mortgage, and in September 1997, the bank foreclosed. There was a life insurance policy on Marie Altidor, but there's no record of George ever collecting it. On the first anniversary of the murders, a memorial Mass for Teresa, Marie, Samantha and Sabrina was held at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Miramar. George attended and joined a procession to the vacant Altidor home to three quarters of a mile away. It was one of the only times family members had an opportunity to speak to George. They told the media they asked him if he knew anything about the murders. But George offered no answers. For six more years. Memorial services came and went, and the Altidor investigation remained cold. But there was someone on the Miramar police force who couldn't shake the case. Detective Danny Smith had been there on Crescent Drive on the day of the murders in April 1997. At the time, he was a brand new trainee, and it was the first major crime scene he had been on. Ten years later, in 2007, he was a detective and was recently assigned to the Cold Case squad. The Altidor case was the first one he wanted to crack open.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

This was one of those cases that always kind of stuck with me because obviously I was there and it was just brutal. And I ended up going to the Detective Bureau in June of 2000 and still kind of followed the case. It's not a situation where someone was doing something illegal and they just got caught up in it. Not that anyone deserves to be Killed. But in this case, you had legitimate four innocent people that were brutally, savagely murdered, and there were. There were no answers. So I think this is one of those things that just kind of is always gnawing at the back of an investigator's mind, especially with two kids involved, two young children.

[Narrator]

His captain gave him permission to reopen the investigation. Detective Smith's first step was assembling over a dozen investigators and forensic experts to review the case.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

We set a day where we had everyone come to our police department, and we put everything out, and we presented the case to people that have never heard of it and asked them to basically take notes and write down what they would do if this was their case, how would they handle it from the beginning on this case? So I wanted to get fresh eyes to look at it.

[Narrator]

Despite so many experts sifting through the evidence, the results of the effort were discouraging.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

There wasn't really anything that was brought up, for the most part, that we hadn't already thought of. I think 99% of the notes or the suggestions that came from all these investigators were the same things that we thought of and that the family thought of.

[Narrator]

Detective Smith was undeterred and pressed forward with his fresh investigation, starting with one of the most obvious. Where is George Altidore now? The answer was a blockbuster. Detective Smith discovered that George had remarried. But that's not all. The woman he married, his third wife, was already in the case file. George had been at her house the night before the murders. He had married Florence Daudin in 2001, four years after his family was killed. The case file contains very little information about Florence. In the thousands of pages of documents, notes, and transcripts amassed in the early years of the investigation, the her name surfaces just a few times.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Florence was relatively unknown. And the relationship between George and Florence wasn't even known to the family or investigators until years after the murders.

[Narrator]

But today, looking back, that feels like an oversight. There are many reasons why Florence should have been a significant part of the investigation. It was George himself who first gave investigators her name. During his original interview at the Miramar police station, George told police that the night before the murders, he went to a friend's house to fix her air conditioning.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

When you say a friend, what kind.

[Detective Danny Smith]

Of friend is this?

[George Altidore's Attorney]

She used to go to church in the same church with me. Plus, you know, I fix ac several times she had problems. Every time she had problems.

[Narrator]

And Florence Daudin herself confirmed George's visit in a statement to the media. The next day, she showed up in the crowd that had gathered outside the Altidor home as news of the horrifying murders spread, A TV news crew looking for people to talk about the Altidors found Florence and aimed a camera at her. The clip never aired, but we found it in a reel of footage stored in the archives of Miami Dade College.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

Do you know of any problems?

[Fabiola]

Was there any problems?

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

No problem.

[Fabiola]

He was over my house yesterday. He's supposed to be home tonight.

[Narrator]

Over my house tonight.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

He's supposed to meet with you?

[Fabiola]

Yes, tonight.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

Yesterday was over my house at seven o'.

[Narrator]

Clock. Everything went fine as far as I know.

[Fabiola]

And they never had any.

[Narrator]

If that was difficult to understand. Florence told the reporter that George was over her house the previous night and planned to return the next day. She added that his visit was fine and that the family never had any problems. Florence was in the news again the next morning. She's quoted in a Miami Herald front page story. Identified as a longtime friend of the Altidores. Marie, she said in the article, is like a saint. She was always smiling. And despite the public having virtually no information about what had happened in the Altidor home, she added, this had to be revenge or jealousy. This wasn't a break in. Florence surfaced publicly again a week later. She was at George's side at the funeral for his wife and daughters. As investigators watched from outside George and recorded video of everyone who came and went. Special agent Tony Panetta told me he did try to talk to Florence after the funeral, but when he got to her house, he was told Florence left the country. There was a niece, a younger niece.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

That was outside the house, and I.

[News Reporter]

Talked to her and the niece told.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Me, oh no, my aunt, she went.

[Narrator]

Back to Haiti and we never got to her. Panetta and Paluzzo both told me they never tried again. In the spring of 2001, four years after his family was murdered, George Altidore married Florence Dauden. Soon after, they left Florida and resettled in a small city in Oklahoma called Broken arrow. It's about 14 miles southeast of Tulsa. That April, they purchased a stately five bedroom, four bathroom home for nearly half a million dollars. George resumed work repairing air conditioners, and he and Florence became involved in a non denominational church called Rhema Bible Church. In the years since leaving Florida, they've been living very much under the radar. Two neighbors I was able to reach told me the Altidores are friendly but quiet. They didn't even know the couple was from Florida. And as George went on with his life, he made no Efforts to reach out to law enforcement about the massacre of his family. Detective Peluzo says it was as if George just wanted to forget it all happened.

[Detective Danny Smith]

He's never once called the police department to find out what was going on with the case or had a representative of his call the police department. You know, what's going on? Okay. He just kind of walked away from it. That always bothered me too. You know, God forbid somebody takes out my whole family. I think I'd be haunting that police department every day to find out what the hell you Keystone cops doing, you know? Never heard from him.

[Narrator]

Marie Altidore's family also never again heard from George. To Marie's sister Albert and cousin Fabiola, George's detachment only strengthened their firm suspicion that he was behind the murders.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

They lived in their beautiful life in Oklahoma and never contacted us. One day, that surprised me. That shocked me. But he just, I will say, abandon us.

[Fabiola]

The burden is still heavy on everybody's hearts, and George is living his new life with his new wife without any hesitation. If you're not the one that did it, why aren't you here fighting the fight to find out who murdered your family? You obviously don't care about them.

[Narrator]

And Albert is baffled about why Florence wasn't a bigger focus of the investigation.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

We are still thinking, why didn't have you interviewed Florence? So if I'm putting one and one together, I think there is a piece missing in the puzzle. And that piece missing is Florence Dodin, which is George's wife. Today.

[Narrator]

George's marriage to Florence certainly came as a shock and raised many eyebrows. But for Detective Danny Smith's new investigation, it didn't really prove anything. A marital affair could certainly be a motive for murder, but there wasn't any actual evidence that George's relationship with Florence be a Before the killings was anything more than a casual friendship. So Detective Smith's approach was essentially to start over and to enter the investigation without assumptions.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

The way that I wanted to go about the reopening of this case was to convince myself or make myself believe that George is not the person or has no involvement. And I wanted to try to prove myself wrong or prove all the other theories wrong. I wanted to have a full view of everything and realize that maybe it wasn't him, maybe it was someone else. But I'm not going to know that unless I open my eyes a little bit and work that investigation in a different way.

[Narrator]

That included trying to re interview people that Detective Paloozo had talked to years before. But time was an enemy Memories fade. And sometimes people just want to forget the past.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

The people involved with the investigation, whether it's witnesses or family members or friends. I found that as the years went on, less and less people were willing to speak with me or even get involved or have anything to do with the case. So that was a little bit of a challenge, or that was a major challenge when going through the case and seeing all these names and people that may or may not be involved, may have information, may not. I didn't know, but I had a really difficult time getting people to open up and actually speak to me.

[Narrator]

Detective Smith went page by page through the case files, crates full of them, hunting for anything more he could follow up on. There wasn't much. So he focused on something that had changed in the years since the murders. Technology.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

The advancements in DNA were key. And as I've had this case for so long and so many years, I've taken advantage of even more advancements from when I first picked up the case and started to work it. So I think the DNA technology that was unavailable back then, and then it started to come around in 2007, and then even as recently as a couple years ago, where we had some stuff tested, that was really my focus.

[Narrator]

Detective Smith had box after box of evidence unsealed and items tested for DNA. Even the preserved wall of the family room where the killer had scrawled a message was scoured.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Years ago, when we did not have certain technology, the wall was swabbed extensively and touch DNA was attempted to get off that wall, which met with negative results. And then as technology got better, additional testing was done on that wall.

[Narrator]

The new testing used what's called an M vac system. It literally vacuums up microscopic particles that could contain DNA.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

It can pick up DNA evidence at a higher rate than the simple swabbing of the wall. So that was done. And no DNA was found on the wall on any of the testing. And I want to say we've done maybe three rounds of testing separately over the years of that wall.

[Narrator]

Every day we hear about DNA solving another cold case, another killer brought to justice for a murder committed years or decades earlier. The Altidore massacre isn't one of those cases. None of the evidence tested for DNA produced any useful results. So Detective Smith's investigation marched on. He traveled to Oklahoma to try to convince George to answer questions, or even Florence. Both declined. Detective Smith interviewed people the original detectives didn't. He tried to track down the two puppies that Marie's cousin said were in the altidor house the night before the murders, but were missing the next day. Too much time had passed, and nobody could remember the puppies. Smith tried to get new handwriting experts to examine the writing on the wall, but no law enforcement agencies would risk contradicting previous examinations. For years, Detective Smith worked the investigation as other cases came and went.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

I always kept it nearby, so if something just popped into my head or I thought of a name or whatever it was, I could just reach down under my desk, pull out my working file, and just start looking through it.

[Narrator]

The cold case investigation was looking just as bleak as the original one.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Any cold case investigator will tell you that it's frustrating to not be there from the beginning. And I think that's part of the pitfalls or the struggles of working a cold case is that you weren't there. So everyone has their own procedure and process, the way that they handle certain things. So to be able to or to be forced to get all of my information just from other investigators, I guess actions is frustrating. Of all the cases that I've worked and been assigned and investigated, there are a small handful that. That are unsolved, that remain unsolved. This is the one case that I never put away.

[Narrator]

But after 17 years with a case on his desk, Detective Smith finally did have to put it away. In late 2024, he became the second investigator to retire from the Miramar Police Department and leave the Altidor murders unsolved.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

For me, it was like that tragedy happened yesterday. I'm living that horrible crime day by day. It's like a daily thing for me. There is one that had passings. You know, I don't think about my mom and the tragedy itself.

[Narrator]

For Marie, Altidore's sister, Albert, Marty, and the rest of the family. Of the four who lost their lives that day, the decades since have been filled with grief and loss. It's not just the heavy knowledge of how violent the deaths were. It's much more than that. For 27 years, they've carried the burden of knowing that whoever killed Teresia, Marie, Samantha, and Sabrina was likely somebody they were close to. And that person has never been held accountable. Are you angry with the Miramar Police Department? Are you angry that this case has never been solved?

[Fabiola]

We're not angry. We're fed up. There's four lives that were taken, and no justice has ever been found for them.

[Narrator]

Maria's cousins, Fabiola and Martine, have become the unofficial spokespeople for the family, and they are adamant that there's more than enough circumstantial evidence to charge George Altidore with murdering his family and that a jury should decide his guilt or innocence. When Fabiola speaks about the investigation, the weariness and frustration in her voice are almost tangible.

[Fabiola]

I don't want to attend another memorial. I don't want to attend another prayer circle. I don't want to attend anything because there's nothing new to bring to the table. Everything that needs to be brought to the table is on the table. Now. What are you going to do with it? The bottom line is Miramar Police Department has not moved on this case. They have a plethora of circumstantial evidence that I've seen cases been tried and won with less, and they haven't done it. They need to take what they have and take some action.

[Narrator]

The Miramar police say it's true. They do have a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing to George. It's enough to consider him a suspect, as they have since the early days of the investigation, but it's not enough evidence to bring charges. And they maintain that George's alibi will derail any case against him.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

There's a lot of circumstantial evidence out there, but the bottom line is, is that there was a phone call placed from the residence the morning that the crime scene was discovered. And at that time, George was already at work or he was nearby. Work investigators back at the beginning of the investigation did a great job driving as many different ways that they possibly can from his house to his job at the same time. And we know that when that phone call was placed, George was not at home.

[Narrator]

And this is a major point of contention between the investigators and the family. Fabiola told me the timing of George's movements that morning isn't even relevant because the family insists that it was not Marie Altidore who made that phone call. They say the person who called a relative in Maryland and identified herself as Marie was not that. It was just a ruse, just like the note left on the wall. And if that's true, George would have had all morning to commit the murders and arrive to work at his usual time.

[Fabiola]

The phone call theory has been dispelled, but they're still stuck on it. We already gave you a viable explanation why it was not who you thought it was. Holes were poked in your theory, and you can prove that. You know what? This really doesn't stand. If that was the last piece of the puzzle that you needed, that piece has crumbled because it's not a strong piece.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

Is it possible that somebody else placed that phone call? Yeah, absolutely. But as good as technology is nowadays, we don't have the ability to go back and time, unfortunately, and listen to that or get a voice analysis or check cell sites or anything, all the stuff that we would be able to do in today's world. Would I love to have somebody come in and say they made that phone call? Absolutely. But they would be implicating themselves. So the circumstantial evidence against George Altidore essentially stops because of that phone call.

[Narrator]

The issue has driven a painful wedge between the grieving family and the investigators who spend years trying to bring them justice. As sympathetic as investigators are, they say they're in an impossible situation. To justify an arrest, they need probable cause, reasonable proof that the person committed the crime.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

It's frustrating. I know it's frustrating for them and it's frustrating for us as investigators. But for me, to take someone's freedom and liberty away without probable cause is not the way our justice system works. We do not have probable cause to arrest. And quite frankly, throughout my career, I've always looked for more than probable cause. I've tried to make it so that if I'm going to put somebody in handcuffs, it's because I am 100% sure and can prove it.

[Narrator]

And for prosecutors to bring a suspect to trial, they need to be 100% confident that there is no reasonable doubt that we'll end the case in an acquittal. They would only get one shot. The family's response is take the shot. They're willing to risk it.

[Fabiola]

At this point, it's been 27 years. You don't have the peak of the mountain. You know what? Try your luck bringing in on the circumstantial evidence that you have because some type of disruption is better than Scotch free. That he's been living and has been able to live a second life when four people were murdered and nothing has ever been done. You have a six weeks old little angel that never even had a chance. Chance was born healthy, never got a chance. You have a two year old that's as innocent as they come. If you're not doing it for the adults, do it for the two innocent children that had absolutely no business being killed by anyone. So at this point, 27 years later, stop telling me you being prudent because you don't want to risk going to trial on circumstantial evidence. It happens all the time.

[Narrator]

I took the family's plea to the top of the Miramar Police Department. I asked Chief Delrish Moss if the family has a point.

[News Reporter]

Look, I know as a family member, you're in a unique position to have your whole heart in this situation and wanting to see an outcome. Unfortunately, we work in a system that allows us to do certain things, and we can only work within those parameters. I know the family feels that there's enough at this point. In our conferences with the State Attorney's office, they don't feel that there's enough.

[Fabiola]

They have enough to take some type of action. You know what? You win, you win. You lose, you lose. We're at the point where we're willing to take whatever because something is better than nothing now, the first three years. Well, no, yeah, we're with you. We don't want to bring him on circumstantial evidence because we would hate to see him walk at this point. He's been walking. Heck, he's running. He's running, living his life and moving forward. And we have four dead bodies that never got justice.

[News Reporter]

I feel the pain that you have to want that. Unfortunately, we. We can't just move on feelings. We have to move based on what the law allows us to do. I can't arrest someone because I strongly feel. And everything seems to point to that, because there is also the potential in this system of justice that that person could be innocent also. And so we have to do everything that we can within the legal guidelines and parameters that we work within.

[Narrator]

This disagreement between the family and the police won't be resolved without new evidence coming to light. And the reality is, virtually every piece of evidence in the case file was discovered in the first six months of the investigation. The case needs something new, something substantial. Do you think there's still hope for this case? Is it possible that it can still be solved?

[George Altidore's Attorney]

100%. I'm optimistic that at some point, we are going to have answers. There's no doubt in my mind that there's someone who was not involved in the commission of these murders that knows. You may not think it's important, but let us determine that. Just call in with whatever you got.

[News Reporter]

If you're holding on to this information for whatever reason, I think you have an obligation not only to this family, but to your conscience. And so if you have information, please, we not only ask and implore, we beg you to give us that information so that we can provide closure to this family. As long as this case remains open, unsolved, this will be a case that the Miramar Police Department will continue to look into and put resources to the.

[Narrator]

Investigators, like Danny Smith and Tony Panetta, who had to leave the case unsolved, remain determined to be there when the break comes.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

The case is not gone. No one is giving up on it. And even years down the road with me retired and not dealing with this case on a daily basis, I'm still here. I still have my working file. And I'm always thinking about it. I got a copy of everything on this case in my house.

[Narrator]

Oh, yes, because I'm always waiting for that phone call from some detective somewhere saying, hey, we need you to come.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

And testify on what you did. I have a copy of everything so.

[Narrator]

I can open the box, read it.

[George Altidore's Attorney]

And let's go to court and let's make it happen.

[Narrator]

Meanwhile, the family endures, waiting for justice for Teresa Laverne, for Marie Carmel Laverne Altidore, for Samantha, who would be 30 years old today, and for Sabrina, who lived for only six fleeting weeks. She would be 28.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

I want justice for my mom, my sister, and my tolelo nieces, mostly the children, Samantha and Sabrina. My mom, my mommy. We do want justice for them. And I feel like the killer is still on the loose. One day I hope the investigators will come up with something and say, okay, we got him.

[Narrator]

Detective Ron Peluso spent more time with George Altidore than any other investigator. He questioned him for hours. And one moment from those interviews lingers in Peluso's mind, a chilling exchange he's never been able to shake.

[Detective Danny Smith]

I said, george, I've learned a lot about you. You're a hard working man. You're a family man. You have two jobs, you're very religious. And I said to him, I said, george, you know what I think happened, George? I says, I think your body was in that house, but you, your soul and your mind was somewhere else. And something overpowered you, possessed you, and you had no idea what was going on. You weren't doing this on purpose. You had no control over this. And he looked at me. I'll never forget this. He goes, thank you, thank you, thank you. Jesus knows what happened, and Jesus forgives. And that's the closest I think he came to a confession. And I'll never forget that.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

Foreign.

[Narrator]

If you have information about the Altidor murders, please contact the Miramar Police Department through Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954493 TIPS. That's 954493 TIPS. You can view dozens of photos and videos that we, we gathered over the course of our reporting on this case. Just visit feloniousflorida.com thank you for listening to this season of Felonious the Altidor Massacre. If you'd like to go deeper into the dark side of the Sunshine State, we have four more seasons available now to listen to. From a killer clown to a triple murder caught on an astonishing videotape to a serial rapist who terrorized Miami in the 1980s, we cover some of Florida's most remarkable true crime stories in more than three dozen chilling episodes. Available in the Wontry app on Apple Podcasts or Spotify [e-mail] and remember, Wondry plus members can follow every twist and turn with an ad free listening experience and be sure to follow us on social media for updates. Felonious Florida is a production of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in association with Wondery. This season was reported and written by me, David Shoots. Shawn Pitts is our sound designer, editing by Robin Webb, original theme music composed by Brian Sanishin, cover art by John DeLuca and website design by Carbell Multimedia. Gretchen Day Bryant is our Executive Executive Editor. Felonious Florida was created by Lisa Arthur and Juan Ortega.

[Detective Ron Peluzzo]

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