In May, movers cleared 96-year-old Annie Curtis’ home on Mahalia Place. The movers said they had orders to “rip up all the carpet and trash everything inside.”
One of the movers said Curtis’ home would likely be up for sale in 6 months. When asked, the movers said they did not remember the name of the woman who told them to throw Curtis’ belongings but that it was “a lady out of the Tampa area.”
Adriane Alexander
Adriane Alexander assumed the role of Curtis’ power of attorney, after Hill’s power was revoked, even though she had not seen Curtis in years. Under cross-examination, Alexander said she had not spoken to Curtis to determine whether or not she needed a power of attorney. Alexander also admitted she had not seen Curtis in years and had no direct experience of Curtis being exploited.
In addition, after Agent Brenton said Curtis was being exploited, Alexander said she still did not go to Curtis’ home to take her out of the alleged desperate situation. “I asked her over and over again and she said she wanted to be in her home in Orlando,” Alexander said. Alexander testified that she was unaware of Curtis needing a power of attorney until she was contacted by Tim Moran.
Alexander had submitted a petition to the court indicating Curtis has sensory disability and is hearing or vision impaired. Alexander testified, “I know that her memory lapse. She goes from childhood… in a conversation, I would tell her who I was and a few minutes later she would say ‘now who are you?’” She also indicated in the petition Curtis had the cognitive disabilities but said, “I was not there when the petition was drawn.” However, Alexander’s signature was on the petition.
The Neighbors of Mahalia Place
Curtis had loving neighbors who also looked after her. Pamela Evans-King lived a few doors down from Curtis and has known her for decades. When Evans-King saw the movers at Curtis’ home she broke down in tears. “She would be so upset if she saw her home like this,” Evans-King said. King added, “The neighbors look out for Ms. Curtis. And, I want to know where she is.” According to Alexander’s testimony, Curtis is in an assisted living facility in Osceola County.
Visible from outside of the house were two Bibles that sat on top of Curtis’ refrigerator. There were tea sets and a burial flag which may have been presented to her after the death of her husband. According to neighbors, Curtis’ husband was a Lt. Colonel in active duty at the time of his death several years ago. Neighbors said Curtis often spoke of how proud she was that she was able to travel the world with her husband. In addition, one of the neighbors spoke about how she loved to play the piano. There was also a piano in the home that was going to be thrown away.
Regina Hill’s Criminal Attorney
Hill’s attorney, Fritz Scheller said, “An inescapable aspect of being Regina Hill is confronting the false narratives that surround her.” Scheller continued, “Unfortunately, these stories are limited tales told by biased narrators. They are tales of sound and fury – signifying nothing.”
Scheller added, “If one were to tell a complete story of my client’s life, it would be a tale of resilience, perseverance and great empathy. That is why it is such a damn honor to be her lawyer.”
What Happens Next?
To date, The Florida Sun still has not received the requested copy of the subpoena that allowed FDLE to received Hill’s medical documents. Therefore, we cannot determine if the law enforcement agency acquired Hill’s medical records legally. However, The Florida Sun did receive a response from FDLE stating it takes weeks and sometimes months to receive documents because of the large number of requests the agency receives. As mentioned in part 2 of this series, The Florida Sun called FDLE’s Tallahassee office in May, but we have not yet received a a call back.
If found guilty, Hill may be sentenced to life in prison.
