Garcia and Gonzalez have pleaded guilty to the killings, the New York Daily News reported. She said she took it only to protect herself. 8. ', Miss Bliss, one of the key prosecution witnesses, testified that Narcy tried to buy her off for $10,000 saying: 'If I cant have him, no other woman is going to have him.'. Complete coverage of the Novack murders on Crimesider, First published on September 12, 2013 / 5:12 PM. There are few things that reporters live for except the kind of story that grabs hold of you and never lets go. turns his attention to the story of a rich playboy's gruesome murder. Items included in the Television News search service. 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Garcia admitted that he had helped kill Novack's husband, Ben Novack Jr., in a suburban New York hotel where his travel company was managing an Amway convention. Her brother, Cristbal Vliz, was also accused of enlisting Alejandro Gutirrez-Garca, Joel Gonzlez, and Denis Ramrez to participate in both murders. The Sun-Sentinel reports that Novack had been attending the convention he planned for 1,200 Spanish-speaking people for Amway Global International. Novack stared straight ahead, not at Bliss, through most of the testimony. Ben Novack Jr. found his mother sprawled in her utility room, face down on the floor, wearing a nightgown drenched in blood. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. READ: How a reporter uncovered the murder of Miami matriarch Bernice Novack. Like everything else in Bernice's life, the painting told a story. Given Novack's financial status, his wife 53-year-old former stripper Narcy Novack told detectives the slaying might have been the result of a robbery gone wrong. Bliss said she made adult videos in California in 2005 and 2006 under the stage name Mona Love. In addition to Novack's supposed affair, the couple were said to have engaged in some otherwise unorthodox marital activities. The report detailed how the alleged home invasion was part of a sex game. "It was like someone was trying to send a message, someone with a serious grudge," said reporter Shyann Malone. [17][18], The story was also the basis for the 2015 made-for-television Lifetime movie Beautiful & Twisted, which starred Rob Lowe as Ben Novack Jr., Paz Vega as Narcy, and Candice Bergen as Bernice Novack.[19][20]. in Miami, accused Alexandro Guitierez-Garcia, 33, a Nicaraguan national who lived From the outset, Abad publicly stated she believed her mother was responsible for Ben Novack's murder. 'At one point every president visiting Miami stayed at the Fontainebleau. Bliss, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., testified that they began . When Bernice Novack was killed in April 2009, her estate, valued at about $2 million, went to Novack Jr., her only son. But May and a friend went in anyway to pick up some of May's belongings. Its a story thats crazier than fiction, even the fiction that Lifetime usually puts out. To report information about the murder of Robert Novack Jr., CLICK HERE. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Her husband Ben Novack Sr., who built the hotel and owned it until 1977, had died in 1985. They also look at robbery and other motives for . Ben Novack was found dead and handcuffed in the Rye Town Hilton But Karas said it was also important "to acknowledge Mr. Garcia's heinous criminal conduct. 'He denied it and acted like he was very offended -- but ultimately led us to some of the memorabilia,' the officer said. [8], Narcy Novack and Cristbal Vliz were tried together in a federal courtroom in White Plains, New York in 2012. in New York. "She admits being a prostitute, [acting in] pornographic movies," Carpentier said. But nowhere has the family drama been greater than in the dynamic between Narcy and her daughter, May Abad. In 2009, Bernice Novack and her son, Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel heir Ben Novack Jr., were murdered three months apart. Aug. 19, 2009— -- The discovery of the body of a wealthy Florida businessman and hotel heir has turned out to be only the beginning of what has become a multi-state investigation involving reports of kinky sex, catfights and Batman comic books. He had been hog-tied, blinded in both eyes and beaten with gym dumbells. Narcy Novack told police, according to the warrant, that her husband had recently agreed to buy a comic book for $43,000 and, about three weeks before his death, had gotten into an argument with a collector who then showed up at their house to negotiate the deal. I took my piles of binders, a copy of her will, and the photographs to three seasoned police detectives to review. westchester. After learning Novack was planning to divorce his wife and that she would have beenbarred from the Novack family's multimillion-dollar estate due to a prenuptial agreement police began investigating her possible involvement in the murder. By Gerry W. Beyer. 'Sinatra became a close family friend he was an uncle to Ben as he grew up and flew the family on his private jet to President Kennedys inauguration in 1960. As an editor, writer and investigative reporter for 20 years, I have researched yellowed court documents, old wills, marriage and divorce records, police reports, property records and family ties. Her brother was also found guilty of arranging the murders and is serving life in jail. She said Novack moved her out of Miami and put her up at a hotel for a couple of weeks in June 2008. Detectives soon found out Novack was involved in aheated affair with former sex worker and porn actress Rebecca Bliss. Bernice was discovered bludgeoned to death inside her Fort Lauderdale mansion in 2009. Prosecutors said Novack feared that her husband would divorce her and a prenuptial agreement would bar her from the multimillion-dollar family estate. Videk. [] He was face-down in a pool of blood. Please enter valid email address to continue. They were spotted out together in numerous restaurants and even after her arrest he was driving around in her Mercedes sports car.'. Yes, Fontainebleau is definitely worth visiting, its a beautiful charming city that embodies nature, outdoor living and has a rich history. Associated Press She also did not appear in court when she was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ben Novack's father built the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach. She denied having anything to do with them. With each story I wrote questioning her death, Fort Lauderdale police became increasingly uncooperative. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? June 11, 2012 / 11:27 PM The blood-stained bed in Ben Novack's room at the Rye Town Hilton, New York. When investigators discovered Novack on the morning of July 9, 2012, his limbs were bound with . Each episode cohosts Kareem Tabsch and Joey Daoud narrate the facts of the case, with details, anecdotes and general color offered by an interview guest with a . Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Novack Jr. is seen. I was also the first to question the death of Bernice, who was found dead in her Fort Lauderdale home in April 2009. Novack grew up in the hotel, which was a celebrity playpen in the 1950s and `60s and appeared . In accordance with the slayer rule, Narcy Novack is ineligible to inherit her husband's estate. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. of Fort Lauderdale-based Convention Concepts Unlimited, was found dead in his hotel room in Rye Brook, New York, on Sunday morning. They had been sent an anonymous letter claiming that Bernice had indeed been murdered. It was just a complete mess,"said Sgt. Novack, 55, and Veliz, 59, were convicted in June of the brutal death of Ben Novack Jr., son of the founder of the famed Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. However, over the length of time I became associated as the reporter on this story, more and more people came forward to share with me their stories about the Novack family. Now May Abad, Narcy's daughter, stands to inherit $150,000, and the rest of the fortune stands to go to her two sons. "It was a horrific scene," a detective told "Dying to Belong" about Ben Novack's murder. Ben Novack Jr. was found bludgeoned to death last month in Room 453 of the Hilton Rye Brook Hotel in Rye Brook, N.Y., where he had organized a weekend convention for Amway, the direct-selling company. Prosecutors alleged that Narcy was afraid that Ben would leave her for Bliss, who testified at Narcy's trial; their prenuptial agreement would only leave her $65,000 in a divorce. . The plot that led to the death of Ben Novack was a family affair when the trial got underway in federal court, Garcia, the hitman, testified an ice cold detail how he killed Ben Novak. ', From a prison cell to driving Rolls-Royces and hanging out with movie stars: How the Wolves of Wall Street are on top of the world after being released from prison over $200million fraud, Mother 'watched as her boyfriend smothered their baby then they put limp infant back in playpen and had sex', Former high school librarian and prison chief arrested in plot to 'kidnap, cook and EAT women and children', 'If it can happen to my daughter it can happen to anyone': Mother of Audrie Pott who committed suicide after alleged sexual assault bravely speaks out for the first time about her death. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help king ben and queen bernice lived in b a penthouse suite, then alg came their prince, ben novack jr. >> he was a spoiled kid, he was a brat. What we give you here is a list of the best new movies on iTunes (2018 or newer). Ben dealt only in cash and Narcy was the same. Although she was in the condo for about a year, and spoke with Novack several times a day, she said she saw him only a few times and had sex with him maybe twice. [1], On April 5, 2009, Ben's 87-year-old mother, Bernice (December 2, 1921 April 4, 2009), was found dead in her Fort Lauderdale, Florida garage. He also bought her a toy poodle, she said, and a new cellphone account so she could drop the escort number. Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. The search warrant also noted that hotel officials had determined that no keys were used to enter the hotel room between the time Narcy Novack left for breakfast and the time she returned. His trial testimony last year helped put away Narcy Novack and her brother, Cristobal Veliz, on charges they arranged the 2009 killings. More than two months after his murder, Ben Novack Jr.'s body remained in the Westchester County morgue, prompting police to wonder why his widow was taking so long to have him buried. Narcy Novack is facing charges in the death of her wealthy hotel heir husband 53-year-old Ben Novack Jr. and conspiring to kill her 87-year-old mother-in-law Bernice Novack. (CBS) For 40 years, Bernice Novack lived quietly in her Fort Lauderdale home, amid the treasures of her glamorous life: expensive oil paintings, diamond jewelry, a grand piano used by Frank Sinatra and scrapbooks of pictures snapped with presidents, world leaders and movie stars. In July 2010, almost a year to the day Ben was murdered, the FBI arrested Narcy, her brother and several accomplices in connection with her husband's murder. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The guard then goes to the main house and alerts Narcy that May is on the property. "I spoke to one and that was it," she said, referring to the Herald's story. Garcia, 35, a Nicaraguan immigrant, faces deportation after his sentence is served. Narcy Novack, left, and Ben Novack Jr. in an undated photo. Alejandro Garcia's 210-month prison term was well under federal sentencing guidelines because he had cooperated with prosecutors almost from the moment of his arrest. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I had no idea, that years later, it would probably become the biggest story of my career, or that it would become a book. She testified that Narcy Novack said: If she couldn't have him, no other woman was going to have him.. Ben Novack was found dead and handcuffed in the Rye Town Hilton in New York. Ben Novack Jr. had a successful travel company. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? On Monday, the woman, Narcy Novack, 54, went on trial in a White Plains, N.Y., courtroom on federal charges stemming from the July 2009 death of her 53-year-old husband, Ben Novack Jr. Fort Lauderdale home. A former model for Coca-Cola and Salvador Dali, Bernice was once married to Ben Novack Sr., builder of the fabled Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach. Mugshot of Crostobal Veliz, brother of Narcy Novack, implicated Over the past five weeks, jurors in the Narcy Novack murder trial have heard from a one-eyed killer, a tattooed porn star and a hotel guest who snapped pictures of Ben Novack Jr.'s bloody corpse . "He was sort of looking for a bad girl," Bliss said. From the time he was a teenager, Ben Novack Jr. was obsessed with cops . It is also the home of INSEAD, one of the worlds most elite business schools. She said if she couldn't have him no one will," Bliss said. "It was a horrific scene, very gruesome, very bloody. In April, she was found dead in her laundry room and Fort Lauderdale police and the Broward Medical Examiner ruled it was an accident. its day. Ben Novack was found dead in July 2009 in a room at a New York hotel that he was sharing with his wife. The warrant indicates that computers and hard drives were also taken from an office in the unattached building. Allison Carpentier said they had never witnessed a crime scene as gruesome as the one they described. Blood stains inside the kitchen of Bernice Novack's home in Fort But the rabbis role was never revealed during the three-month trial. That morning . Terence Wilson, a detective with Rye Brook, New York, police. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Mary Jane Fine. On July 12, 2009, three months after Bernice's death, Ben Novack Jr., 53, Bernice's only child, and heir to the hotel fortune, was slain execution-style at the Rye Town Hilton hotel in Rye Brook, about 35 minutes from Manhattan. Narcy, 56, was convicted last year of arranging the murders after discovering her husband of 28 years was having an affair with porn star Rebecca Bliss. However, Narcy Novack emphatically denied involvement in the murder. 'She was a cold, calculating woman. Compounding the family feud is the battle over Novack's body. / CBS News. Garcia then enlisted an employee at the car wash Joel Gonzales to help him murder Ben Novack at the Rye Town Hilton. [9] Novack is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee in Tallahassee, Florida. "Only a monster can do this kind of evil thing," Narcy told investigators hours after the killing. He was sitting on the beach, a scarf around his neck floating in the breeze. New York), Police found the mutilated body of Ben Novack Jr. lying bound and gagged on the floor of his suite at It was overwhelming. Family Affair, Part 2. More than five years after Bens death, the fight for his fortune still continues. It worked. mother. >> ben jr., don't call him benji, would be trotted out to shake hands with the likes of jft and then back up to the hotel room. Later it would be learned that his killers had cut out his eyes. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. [11] Gutirrez-Garca, Gonzlez, and Ramrez all pleaded guilty to lesser charges. This photograph was taken backstage at a concert with his first wife, Jill. Abad also told the Herald that after the murder Narcy Novack "flunked" a polygraph test in New York five times. Please enter valid email address to continue. stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The interior of Bernice Novack's car. Browse 1,047,759 murders_of_bernice_and_ben_novack,_jr. In this undated image provided by the Rye Brook Police Dept., Ben Novack Jr. is seen. murdered as his 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved "I have nothing to do with my husband's death," she said on interrogation recordings. He was bound with duct tape and his eyes were gouged out. 'The Novak family is Miami Beach royalty. [6], Narcy Novack, from Fort Lauderdale,[7] was arrested for the murders of her husband and mother-in-law in July 2010, three days shy of a year after her husband's death. was brutally killed at the Hilton Rye Town. She charged Novack $600. His mutilated body was discovered in a hotel room in Rye Brook in the early morning hours of July 12, 2009. They both slept with loaded guns under their pillows. Novack, 53, who owned Convention Concepts Unlimited of Fort Lauderdale, a planning company, was the son of the hotelier behind Miami Beach's posh Fontainebleau Resorts Hotel. After 30 Years the Fontainebleau Wont Be a Hilton; New Owner Turnberry Associates Plans on Running the 1,400-room Resort Itself / February 2005. "He used to make me laugh,' Bliss said. Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below First published on January 25, 2013 / 10:01 PM. Fort Lauderdale police were forced to reopen the investigation into the family matriarch's death. 15:03 GMT 25 Apr 2012. A week before she was murdered Bernice Novack took Prosecutors said she feared losing access to the familys multi-million-dollar estate if Ben divorced her. * The Prince of Paradise by John Glatt is published by St. Martins Press on Tuesday April 16. to order a copy. Beautiful & Twisted marks Rob Lowe's third Lifetime movie, but the first in which he plays the victim. NY Daily News: Confessed killers of hotel heir and his mother expected to testify that the millionaire victims wife paid them to commit the double murder. The murders stunned Florida society Bens father built the fabled Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach and family friends included Sinatras Rat Pack of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior and Peter Lawford, as well as slain American president John F Kennedy. 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Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code, Vast majority of U.S. homes are unaffordable to the average buyer. In addition to allegedly participating in the July 2009 torture killing her husband Ben Novack Jr., the . Novack Jr. was found beaten to death in July 2009 in a suburban New York Hotel room. But even three months later, the autopsy wasn't complete, and when I began to question police, my gut told me something just wasn't right. Narcy Novack, left, and Ben Novack Jr. in an undated photo. Dying to Belong 102: Narcy Novack. Bernice (Stempel) Novack, 87, formerly of Miami Beach FL, passed away in her Ft. Lauderdale home on April 4, 2009. In the hours after the murder of Ben Novack, detectives were talking to as many people as they could. The blood-stained bed in Ben Novack's room at the Rye Town Brunette Narcy Novaks relationship with the influential married rabbi is revealed for the first time by best-selling author John Glatt who has investigated the the brutal killing of Ben Novak Jr a close friend of Frank Sinatra -- and his 86-year-old mother Bernice. (CBS/AP) WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - A hit man was sentenced Thursday to more than 17 years behind bars for killing Ben Novack Jr., a Florida millionaire, and his mother, Bernice Novack, under the direction of the millionaire's wife. She told me there were a lot of other girls and I wasn't the only one., Bliss said Narcy Novack offered her $10,000 to break off the affair, which Bliss turned down. CBS4 News obtained a video showing just how bad this mother-daughter relationship was in the days after the murder. 'Much of the stuff went missing but detectives followed the trail through to the rabbi and his network of orthodox associates.' * The Prince of Paradise by John Glatt is published by St. Martins Press on Tuesday April 16. to order a copy,click here. Narcy arrived at the family's Fort Lauderdale home around 4 pm. She also indicated that her husband had enemies. Thank you very much in advance. Watchlist. (Courtesy of United Novack Jr. According to the search warrant, Narcy Novack told police that her husband was "a hard person, a strong businessman and has a tendency to make people angry." 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The hit men gave evidence against the siblings. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code, Vast majority of U.S. homes are unaffordable to the average buyer. What doesn't appear to be taken is evidence related to a possible motive Narcy Novack told New York police she suspected was behind the killing -- that her husband was murdered in the wake of a contentious comic book sale.