It all started when a number of friends told law enforcement that they received strange text messages from a 51-year-old Florida woman named Gretchen Anthony in March. The messages notified them that Gretchen has allegedly tested positive for coronavirus and as a result, she was being hospitalized.
As police told NBC News, one of the recipients of the texts was Gretchen’s mother, who said one of the messages even read that she was being placed on a ventilator. However, according to a probable cause affidavit, there is no record of a Gretchen Anthony ever being in the hospital for COVID-19 or for any other reason.
Posted by David Anthony on Monday, March 16, 2015
As NBC News reported, the last time Gretchen was seen was on March 20 by her co-workers, who said that the woman appeared to be healthy and in good spirits. Now Gretchen’s disappearance has turned into a homicide investigation, and her estranged husband is the prime suspect. It’s also believed he is the one to have sent the texts from her phone to her family and friends.
According to a statement made by the Juniper Police Department, “On March 26, 2020, the Jupiter Police Department responded to the residence of Gretchen Anthony after members of her family reported her missing. As the investigation progressed and further evidence collected, it is believed David E. Anthony is responsible for her disappearance and related homicide which was determined to have occurred on March 21, 2020.”
Update!! Missing Person/Homicide Arrest The Jupiter Police Department is asking for your help with any information…
Posted by The Jupiter Police Department on Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Estranged Husband Arrested and Charged After Allegedly Blaming Gretchen Anthony’s Disappearance On Coronavirus
As the statement continued, authorities later discovered Gretchen’s dark blue Mini Cooper “in the parking lot of the Jupiter Medical Center; however, she was not located within this area. During the investigation, a cadaver dog was utilized and alerted within the residence of Gretchen Anthony.”
According to NBC News, a neighbor told police that on March 21, they saw a black truck matching the description of the one David drives at Gretchen’s home and they heard a woman screaming and yelling, “No. No, it hurts.” Other neighbors also corroborated that they also saw a similar truck that day as well.
The affidavit also stated that upon searching the home, they “found bleach stains on the garage floor, a rag and bottles of cleaning agents on the kitchen island and towels in the washing machine with a reddish substance on the that appeared to be blood.”
Posted by David Anthony on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
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David was eventually arrested on March 31, in New Mexico. He was charged with second-degree murder and kidnapping. And “while processing his vehicle for evidence, a cadaver dog also alerted on David’s truck.”
The estranged husband is still waiting to be extradited back to Florida. Gretchen’s body has yet to be located. It’s unclear if the couple had children.
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