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| Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 7:14:16 PM #2946 |
| TotalKontrol Removed Account | DEVELOPING STORY: Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the 52-year-old woman known as the "D.C. Madam," committed suicide Thursday morning at her mother's home in a trailer park in the Tampa area, Tarpon Springs Police told FOXNews.com. "It was her, and she's deceased," said Frank Ruggiero, a public information officer with the Tarpon Springs Police Department. "There's no question that it was a suicide." Palfrey was found guilty on April 15 by a D.C. jury on charges of racketeering and money laundering related to her operating a prostitution ring. She had threatened to reveal the names of her clients — many believed to be high-profile political and business figures — if prosecutors went forward with their case. Ruggiero said police arrived at the scene at 10:52 a.m. Thursday and Palfrey was pronounced dead a short while later. He declined to say how she killed herself or offer other details. Palfrey was reportedly staying at the mobile home of her mother Blanche, police said. A statement releasd earlier by Tarpon Springs Police said the victim was found in a small storage shed located on the west side of the mobile home. "Handwritten notes were found on scene that describe the victim's intention to take her life, and foul play does not appear to be involved," said Capt. Jeffrey P. Young in a press release. Pinellas County Medical Examiners will determine the official cause of death, and are working with the FBI on the case. Louisiana Sen. David Vitter and former deputy secretary of state Randall L. Tobias both were tied by investigators to Palfrey's high-end prostitution ring. She had repeatedly denied the escort service engaged in prostitution, saying that if any of the women engaged in sex acts for money, they did so without her knowledge. SOURCE: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353758,00.html |