(WSVN) - Every day we all have unexpected surprises in our life. Some minor, some shocking. But one South Florida man sold his car to an auto broker, and that started twists and turns that wound up with a tragedy — which 7’s investigative reporter Patrick Fraser now reveals in a story we call “Deadly Turn.”
When Robert decided to sell his car to an auto broker in North Miami Beach, he never expected the twists and turns and tragedy that would follow.
Robert Leander, car used in killing: “I had some prior dealings with Zach. I ended up selling my car to him.”
Robert still had $3,000 left on the loan for his Honda Civic.
Zachary Abell and his girlfriend Christina Araujo, who owned Abell Motors, promised to pay it off.
Robert Leander: “They seemed like really nice people with their heads screwed on straight.”
But in February, the car payment for the gray Honda Civic was deducted from Robert’s account.
Robert Leander: “I then gave a call over to Zach. I was like, ‘Hey, what happened?’ He was dealing with some things, business trips.”
Abell and Araujo reimbursed Robert for the car payment for that month and the next month.
But a few weeks later, they had still not paid off his loan…
Robert Leander: “I tried calling him, sending him text messages. I got no answer.”
And then, on the news, Robert saw why the two were not answering their phones.
Robert Leander: “He and Christina were arrested for murder.”
According to police, while returning from a trip to Texas to buy cars, the pair Robert had trusted stopped at a motel in Franklin County, Florida.
A.J. “Tony” Smith, Franklin County Sheriff: “There was an altercation in the room, and she was beaten to death.”
That’s where Abell and Araujo were accused of murdering their office administrator, Aileen Seiden, who was traveling with them.
A.J. “Tony” Smith: “Very horrific. Her death was a very horrific death.”
Robert Leander: “I couldn’t believe they would be involved in something like that. It seemed very out of character, and not within what the kind of people I knew they were or thought I knew they were.”
With the pair locked in jail, Robert knew he needed to get his gray Honda from the used car dealer’s warehouse, since the title and the bank loan were still in his name. He made some calls, and his story took another twist.
Robert Leander: “‘What car were Christina and Zach driving when the crime was committed?’ And he said it was a 2013 Honda, gray in color. And I said, ‘That’s my car.'”
Robert was sickened.
Robert Leander: “I kinda had this pit in my stomach. My car was used in the commission of a crime.”
Even though Robert had sold the car, the title stayed in his name since Abell did not pay off his loan.
Robert Leander: “The financial burden of this car is very hefty. I mean, $2,500 might not sound like a lot to some people, but to me, it’s a lot of money.”
Robert knows his problem pales in comparison to what Aileen’s sister is going through.
Francesca Seiden, sister murdered: “I want them to never have freedom again.”
Aileen never expected that tragic twist, and Robert never expected Abell and Araujo to leave him with a bank loan for a car that has been impounded by police.
Robert Leander: “For something like this to happen, it seems like a once-in-a-million thing.”
And then, another unexpected twist: Robert found out Abell had bought the gray Honda for his mother, and she called Robert.
Robert Leander: “She was going to try and get the money together to pay off the car in full, so I would be released of the financial burden of what Zach left me with, basically.”
She won’t be able to bail her son out of jail, but the accused killers’ mother may be able to bail Robert out of a story filled with twists … and a deadly turn.
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