Source: Woman's body found in Miami Beach had major trauma to face
MIAMI BEACH - A woman's body was discovered early Tuesday morning in front of Miami City Ballet on Miami Beach and a source tells CBS News Miami that she had major trauma to her face and was beaten to death.
The source said she may have been a homeless woman and her body was discovered by a security guard. Police said they were called to the building at 2200 Liberty Avenue just after 6 a.m.
Police say solving this case is a top priority and they are searching for surveillance tape. It is not known if they have any witnesses or have recovered a weapon in this case.
Police Spokesman, Officer Christopher Bess, told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench, that the victim was discovered unresponsive and was dead on the scene. He had no information to release about her.
Bess said, "We can state that we have every resource in our criminal investigations division with boots not he ground and we are actively looking for a suspect."
He said police had coincidentally stepped up patrols because of preparations for Passover.
"Our organization is confident that we will arrest the person responsible for this heinous crime and we hope we will not allow any rock to be left unturned. This is something we consider that we can solve."
Bess said they do not have a description to release of a suspect or a motive in this case.
Daniela Tabarra, a substitute teacher at nearby Miami Beach Senior High School, said she came to the scene when she heard the news and heard that the victim might have been homeless.
She said, "I know there are a lot of homeless living here and they are not taken seriously. They are not accounted for. It is really scary as a woman. I just feel like the world has become a little more hostile. The fact that this person just happened to have this rage and they took it out on this woman, it is terrifying."
Andrea Seymour, who has lived on Miami Beach for 15 years, said "It is shocking. That just doesn't happen around here. That is shocking. Does that mean for a woman that we should not be here. This is scary."
Laureen Bone, a tourist from Paris, used her cell phone to record images from a scene that she will not forget as she was preparing to return to France.
"I was shocked," she said. "I was just walking around here on my last day. This is something you see in the movies and do not expect to see in person."
Anyone with information that can help should call Miami Beach Police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $5,000.
A spokesman for Miami City Ballet told CBS News Miami that he had no comment.