'See No Evil: Neighborhood Watch' by Investigation Discovery chronicles the brutal rape and murder of 43-year-old Natalie Belmonte at her home in Pembroke Pines, Florida, in February 2011. The investigation solved the crime within a few days, using surveillance footage obtained from the victim's neighbors. We've got you covered.
What Happened to Natalie Belmonte's Death?
Natalie Anne Lopes Belmonte was born to Reginald and Cheryl Lopes on May 29, 1968, in Georgetown, Guyana. She lived with her sister Michaela Lopes Teixeira, and brother Reginald Lopes until she was seven years old, before moving to Florida.
Natalie graduated from Florida International University in Miami in 1988, after raising two children, Brianna and Aidan. She divorced her husband in 2000, and obtained her real estate license in 2003.
Natalie, a 43-year-old woman who lived with her adopted son, Gerard Lopes Belmonte, on July 17, she was reported missing at around 7:00 PM, and her autopsy examination revealed she had been strangled and suffered severe head injuries. The medical examiner also discovered she had been sexually assaulted before she was killed.
Natalie Belmonte was murdered.
Natalie's cell phone, keys, and purse were all still at home when Gerard returned home the following morning. He claims his adoptive mother had gone missing when he woke up the following morning.
Natalie adopted Gerard when he was only ten years old in Broward Circuit Court in 2000. She took the leap when her uncle – Gerard's father – died of natural causes. She recalled how she (Natalie) loved him as if she were her own.
According to reports, Gerard had been in and out of trouble with the police on burglary, larceny, and petty theft charges, including a 2009 arrest for allegedly breaking into a property while the owners were asleep. While most of the charges were dropped, the police discovered Natalie had filed felony charges against him for allegedly stealing $20,000 worth of her jewelry in 2008.
Gerard expected the situation to be resolved, but was surprised to learn that a warrant for his arrest in the theft was issued while filling out immigration paperwork. According to court filings, he was arrested in early June 2011 and was sentenced to a month in prison. Natalie testified that her son "had gotten his life together over the previous three years."
When Natalie was reported missing, Gerard became a suspect in a surveillance video installed by a neighbor. A person was seen walking out the residence and backing the victim's maroon Lexus to the garage at around 5:08 AM on July 17.
What Has Happened to Gerard Lopes?
Natalie's sister told the cops she saw blood smears on the master bathroom floor when she arrived. Thus, the cops executed a search warrant and found evidence indicating a violent struggle.
The detectives set aside an eight-minute drive for a cleanup radius and searched all trash cans. They discovered blood-stained men's clothing, towels, bedding, and pillows in a trash bin at a local market. Gerard's clothes, according to surveillance video, were similar to those worn by Natalie before the party.
Gerard was convicted of first-degree murder on July 20 and is sentenced to life without parole at the Calhoun Correctional Facility in Blountstown, Florida. According to the episode, Gerard became obsessed with Natalie and raped her on July 17 after returning from the party; he proceeded to murder her out of shame.
