The California lawyer died in a “misadventure” in Mexico while traveling with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, officials ruled, despite his family’s claims of criminal conduct.
Orange County Assistant Public Defender Elliot Blair, 33, was on the Baja Peninsula, south of the U.S. northern border, on Saturday, according to Orange County Public Defender Martin Schwarz. Rosarito Beach in .
His family and colleagues claim on a GoFundMe page that the young lawyer “is the victim of a brutal crime”.
However, the Baja California Attorney General’s Office ruled after an autopsy that Blair’s death appeared to be the result of an “unfortunate accident in which the deceased fell from a third floor,” the Orange County Register reported.
Blair and his wife, public defender Kim, were living at the luxurious Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito, about 40 miles south of San Diego, when they died.
In a brief statement cited by The Register, Mexican authorities said the investigation was ongoing and they were in contact with the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI.
David Scarsone, an attorney for the Blair family, expressed suspicion that Blair simply fell from a third-floor balcony and said he would conduct a separate investigation.
“There are many unanswered questions. (The family) are rebutting the conclusions (of the Mexican authorities),” Scarson told the paper.
Local authorities told news outlet Patrulla 646 Código Rojo that hotel staff called police around 1:15 a.m. after discovering Blair’s body, according to the Register.
According to the outlet, investigators claim to have found evidence that Blair was under the influence of alcohol at the time of his death.
John Jenks, a private investigator who worked with Blair, said he felt like a “gut hit” when he heard of Blair’s death.
“He knew the law, he was well prepared, his presentation in court was excellent, down to earth, resonant, and he knew the case inside and out,” Jenks told NBC Los Angeles.
“I can’t express in words how sad I am for his colleagues, his wife, his family,” he said, adding that no matter how Blair died, the loss was “heartbreaking.”
Jenks mourned the “kind, caring and compassionate man who truly made a difference in the lives of the people he represented.”
The couple “have been public defenders in Orange County” since 2017, the year Elliott passed the bar exam, the fundraiser said.
“Elliot was known for his patience and caring for others. He was the best of us and loved by countless members of our office and the Orange County legal community. We are heartbroken,” the post said.
“Elliott is known for having a smile on his face and a bright mind. There are not enough words to express the extent of his love for Kim. Kim was his life,” it continued.
“They only started living together in their first year of marriage. Elliott was killed on their first anniversary. Kim’s heart is broken,” the GoFundMe page added.
