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Thursday, January 29, 1998

Judge unseals files of 'private eye'

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- A judge on Wednesday allowed prosecutors to unseal the secret files of a private investigator hired to gather information on Shelia Bellush days before she was slain with her quadruplets nearby.

Florida law prohibited Bradenton private investigator Chuck Chambers from revealing who hired him or what he uncovered.

But Circuit Judge Robert McDonald said an exception existed in this case. The law makes it a misdemeanor punishable by jail, fine and a five-year loss of license for a private detective to reveal contents of confidential files.

McDonald said the seriousness of the crime and a subpoena from the state attorney's office were compelling reasons that paved the way for his ruling.

"It is probably win-win situation," said Chambers' attorney Larry Byrd. He said the government and prosecutors reap the benefit and the state holds relative and crucial the private investigator-client confidentiality unless extraordinary circumstances exist.

Only the state attorney's office is allowed to review the videos, files and recordings under McDonald's ruling.

On Monday, Mark Lipinski, attorney for Chambers' client -- identified only as John or Jane Doe -- was denied permission to see the files.

During a hearing Wednesday, prosecutors argued the ongoing murder investigation justified releasing the information. Learning the identity of Chambers' client, apparently from Texas, could lead detectives to who was behind the killing.

Bellush, 35, was shot in the chest and had her throat cut in her Sarasota home Nov. 7. Her body was found by her daughter, Stevie, 13, who was returning home from school. The quadruplets were crawling in their mother's blood.

A week after the slaying, authorities accused Texan Jose Luis Del Toro Jr. of killing Bellush. Two weeks later, two San Antonio men, Samuel Gonzales and Daniel Rocha, were accused of helping Del Toro commit the slaying. All have been arrested. None has been extradited to Sarasota to face charges.

Detectives have characterized the crime as a "murder for hire." But 10 weeks after the slaying, they have not identified who ordered Bellush killed.

Bellush's ex-husband, Allen Blackthorne, has been caught in speculation because of ties to those arrested. He reportedly played golf with one of the accused the day Bellush was killed.

Blackthorne, a San Antonio businessman, has acknowledged through his attorney the connections and the bitter relationship he had with Bellush. But Blackthorne adamantly denies any involvement with the slaying.

Lipinski indicated he might appeal. First, he said, he had to talk with his client.