2 teen boys charged in murder of doctor at Citrus Isles home
By Shannon O'Boye sun-sentinel.com Posted
January 27 2005, 12:02 PM EST
FORT LAUDERDALE – Two teenagers have been arrested and charged with the bloody weekend robbery and murder of a prominent anesthesiologist after breaking into his waterfront home, police said Thursday
The 17- and 18-year-old boys have been each been charged with first-degree murder and robbery/ home invasion in the Friday night slaying of Dr. Harry Grossman, 51, at his cul-de-sac home on Citrus Isles.
The two boys sneaked into Grossman's home at 1312 Guava Isle through an unlocked back door, said Sgt. Andy Pallen, police spokesman. They were armed with what has been described as a fake handgun -- or maybe even a pellet gun -- and planned to rob the residence.
Once inside, however, they ran into Grossman. Pallen said the doctor was choked, kicked and beaten to death. The crime scene was described as extremely bloody. The killers fled with $2,000 in cash, Grossman's wallet and his SUV, a black 2005 Volkswagen Touareg.
A neighbor who had not seen Grossman, a physician at the Weston Outpatient Surgical Center, called police on Sunday after looking through a window and seeing his friend's body on the floor.
After Grossman's murder, Pallen said, the two teenagers drove to Fort Lauderdale's beach and dumped their bloody sweat clothing in a garbage can. Grossman's wallet went in also.
Police later found the bloody clothing and wallet. They took photos of the distinctive sweats and made fliers, then had officers show them while on patrol around the city in an attempt to ID the owners.
The longshot worked.
Pallen said someone recognized the clothing and provided a name, that lead to a photo, which was handed out to patrolling cops. The 17-year-old was picked up Wednesday night in the city's entertainment district along Southwest Second Street.
The 17-year-old, who did yard work for the doctor as recently as two months ago, confessed to Grossman's murder and fingered an 18-year-old friend.
The 18-year-old -- identified as Joseph Fleischer -- was picked up and questioned. He too confessed and was charged, Pallen said. Both are being held without bond -- with the adult in the county jail and minor in juvenile facilities.
Pallen said the 18-year-old lived in apartment about one block from where Grossman's SUV was found abandoned early Monday on the 1100 block of Northeast Sixth Avenue.
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