Shocking Audio Emerges: 96-Year-Old Interrogated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the Case Against Commissioner Regina Hill: Part 1 of a 3 part series
“I’m so confused, I don’t even know my name.” Annie Mae Curtis, the 96-year-old woman who is at the center of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) case against Commissioner Regina Hill said she was confused over 44 times during the 1 hour and 41 minute recorded interrogation she sat through with FDLE Special Agents Steve Brenton and Gus Mendoza. In the room was a representative from the federal government’s Office of the Inspector General with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the new power of attorney Adriane Alexander.
“Like I said, I want to know what’s going on,” Ms. Curtis said. Ms. Curtis couldn’t remember her name or where she lived. But she remembered her birthday.
Friends of Ms. Curtis say she was diagnosed with dementia. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), there is a condition called “Selective memory.” The NIH states, “the context of dementia refers to the phenomenon where a person with dementia might remember certain details or events from their past vividly, while forgetting more recent information or significant life events, essentially choosing which memories to recall based on their emotional weight or personal significance, often prioritizing positive memories and neglecting negative ones; this is sometimes called “mnemic neglect” and can be a coping mechanism against the stress of their condition.”
Background
Hill is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from Curtis and using the money to purchase a $400,000 home in both her and Curtis’ names. Hill was arrested and indicted as a result of FDLE’s allegations. Shortly after, Hill was suspended from office by Governor Ron DeSantis. The Florida Sun obtained audio of Curtis’ interrogation by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents.
Adriane Alexander
Adriane Alexander is identified as the daughter of Ms. Curtis’ dear college friend and soror Mary Alice Martin. Martin has since passed away. Alexander resides in Tampa and became the power of attorney for Curtis after a court ruled Hill should no longer assume the role. Alexander testified she knew Ms. Curtis because her mother and Ms. Curtis were classmates in college. The recording revealed although Alexander had not seen or contacted Ms. Curtis for years, she assumed the role to become Ms. Curtis’ power of attorney. Alexander said, “I wanted to ensure that she was not being taken advantage of. That was my only goal. And, so I agreed to become power of attorney.”
Last year during the civil case against Hill, Alexander told the court she came to visit Ms. Curtis for years up until the pandemic. Alexander said she couldn’t continue to visit Ms. Curtis because her husband had fallen ill. During the interrogation, Agent Brenton asked Ms. Curtis if she knew Alexander. Ms. Curtis said, “I’m not sure.” However, Ms. Curtis did remember Alexander’s mother when Agent Brenton mentioned her name.
When cross-examined by Hill’s attorney in the civil hearing in April of last year, Alexander admitted she never asked for Ms. Curtis’ assets to be frozen to protect Ms. Curtis from any fraudulent activity.
Before Hill was Ms. Curtis’ power of attorney, a video shows Ms. Curtis’ living conditions were terrible. Her home was infested with bugs, cat feces and rotten food. Alexander testified she was not aware of the conditions of Ms. Curtis’ home. Hill had a crew clean and restore the house to a livable condition. The cleaning and restoration of Ms. Curtis’ house aired on a home renovation show.
In the civil hearing, Tim Moran, an attorney who practices in the field of guardianship, said he met with Ms. Curtis in 2024 and prepared the paperwork for Ms. Curtis to sign allowing Alexander to be her power of attorney. Moran also said he did not ask if Ms. Curtis had a power of attorney, but he did ask if Ms. Curtis would like to revoke Hill as her power of attorney. Moran said Ms. Curtis was competent to sign the documents because he interviewed her and allowed her to read over the documents.
However, during the hearing FDLE agent Brenton said Ms. Curtis was not competent to sign the documents to allow Hill to be her power of attorney years prior to the interrogation of Ms. Curtis. But the interrogation audio last March revealed Agent Brenton requested that Ms. Curtis sign documents during the interrogation. Ms. Curtis said she was unable to read the documents. Brenton asked her to use a pair of glasses that belonged to someone in the room. Brenton then read the documents to Ms. Curtis and Ms. Curtis signed them.
Deeper into the interrogation, Ms. Curtis said Hill will get her house once she is deceased.
Agent Brenton: “Do you know what the day is today?”
Curtis: “Right now no. I really don’t.”
Agent Brenton: “What do you think is confusing you right now?”
Curtis: “The whole thing.”
Brenton: “This whole situation?”
Curtis: “Yeah. What about me that requires…I’m just an ordinary person…”
Agent Brenton then cuts Ms. Curtis off and says, “Because I want to make sure that you’re ok, and that you’re being well taken care of, and that um, nobody is trying to take advantage of you. That’s my purpose of being here today.”
Brenton: “Would you leave anything to Regina Hill?”
Curtis: “I wouldn’t need to, she’s not a — Regina?”
Brenton: “Yeah.”
Curtis: “I’m trying to think. Do I have anything worthy of — oh yes the house.”
Brenton: “What house?”
Curtis: “That I live in. My home.”
Upcoming In Part 2 of The Florida Sun’s article:
- Audio reveals neighbors or caretaker questioned Special Agent Brenton when Ms. Curtis was being taken from her home to the interrogation. Brenton tells neighbors or caretaker to go back inside of their house before they impede his investigation.
- Audio reveals a discussion about Ms. Curtis’ Will
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- Brenton: “Is there any reason that she would be, like, in charge of anything over you?”Ms. Curtis: “No. Only probably in making out my Will—something—I can’t remember.”
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Watch video: Agent Brenton disconnecting something in Ms. Curtis’ home
