Man from Barnstable accused of killing, then burning wife’s body in Palm Beach Gardens…
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — According to Fox 29 in Florida, David Arthur, age 50, of Palm Beach Gardens was arrested and charged with 1st Degree Murder in the death of his wife, 57-year-old Kathleen Dunleavy, as well as 1st Degree Arson.
Investigators say Arthur brutally beat his wife to death and then set the couple’s residence on fire to conceal the crime.
The murder investigation began at about 5:00PM on April 12 after a neighbor reported seeing flames coming from the home.
WPBF reports that suspect David Arthur could not initially be located. In a text message to his stepson he said, “I never hurt u (sic) mother. I am going to kill my self (sic).”
According to the Sun Sentinel, “Phone records showed Arthur was also texting a woman, identified as his old high school girlfriend, telling her that he was either going to prison or would end up dead.
“Don’t die or go to jail please,” the woman tells him. He later told her: “I’m on the run something awful happened, I’m so scared I don’t know what to do but run.”
HN was contacted by sources, some acquaintances of David Arthur, and many were shocked at the news. Arthur went to Barnstable Schools before studying at Cape Cod Tech, sources say.
Arthur just recently turned 50 and has numerous acquaintances from Barnstable and the greater Cape Cod area according to his Facebook page.
According to a WPTV report, Kathleen Dunleavy was also from Massachusetts… and her body will be shipped back here for the funeral.
[Stand by for updates…]
Click here for WPBF details and coverage.
Click here for Fox 29 coverage.
Click here for Palm Beach Post coverage.
WCVB CH5 BOSTON coverage [Developing]… CLICK HERE
No bond for man accused of killing wife… Click here to see more on WFLX.
More details from the Palm Beach Post…. CLICK HERE
Live shot from the jail… plus scene footage from night of the murder… Click here for CBS 12 coverage.
Initial Palm Beach Gardens Police press briefing… in depth WPTV coverage:
HN NOTE: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
4/20/2016
Robert Bastille,
