A South Florida man who was under investigation for a bizarre sex crime scenario committed suicide Tuesday, days after his release from jail.
Officers responded to a home at 8531 Southwest 185 Terrace in Cutler Bay just after 7 a.m., where they found the body of 50-year-old Dale Leary in a car parked in the backyard, Miami-Dade Police said.
His 47-year-old ex-wife Claudia Leary — found unconscious in the car next to him — was taken to a hospital, where her condition was unavailable Wednesday morning.
Investigators found an apparent suicide note nearby.
Leary and his wife took in Marta San Jose, a Spanish exchange student, a few years ago. When San Jose turned 18, Leary divorced Claudia and married San Jose. Then he and his new bride were charged with sex crimes involving a 14-year-old-girl. Marta is still in jail.
Leary bonded out and was on house arrest when Tuesday’s suicide incident happened.
Detectives say his death could hurt the investigation into the sex assault case, but they are confident the pieces of this puzzle will come together.
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"They will continue to investigate this and hopefully we’ll find out what Claudia’s involvement was," said Detective Argemis Colome of Miami-Dade Police. “And all these things will tie together between all our detectives. Get some resolution to this incident."
For neighbors who are still in shock from what they have learned was allegedly going on in that house, the suicide and suicide attempt signal the end.
"It’s over, it’s over. All this investigation they’ve been doing and everything and I don’t know how much further it’s going to go. It’s over," said Chuck Rockman, a neighbor.
