The men, Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, are also accused of stealing the woman’s credit cards to spend money on their trip in South Beach. Investigators are trying to determine whether the woman died of an overdose, possibly from a pill the men supplied. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday it is conducting further tests, and no cause of death has been determined.
The arrests come as Miami Beach police and city officials have been grappling with the overwhelming spring break crowds, instituting an 8 p.m. curfew aimed at cracking down on rowdy revelers on the streets. In recent weeks, South Beach has seen brawls, crowd stampedes and police confrontations involving the use of pepper balls.
Miami Beach police have made over 1,000 arrests since February and at least five officers have been hurt on the job, according to the department. Interim City Manager Raul Aguila, on Saturday, called for the curfew to “contain the overwhelming crowd of visitors and the potential for violence, disruption and damage to property” during what has at times been a chaotic spring break period.
The charges Collier and Taylor face are far more serious: burglary with battery, sexual battery, petty theft and the fraudulent use of a credit card. If the drug they gave her is proven to have played a role in her death, the men could potentially face a manslaughter or murder charge.
The victim, a 24-year-old woman visiting from Pennsylvania, was staying at the Albion Hotel, 1650 James Ave.
Both men, who hail from Greensboro, North Carolina, were booked into a Miami-Dade jail on Sunday, records show.
On Monday afternoon, prosecutor Ayana Duncan said the men should be held in jail before trial because they could face even more serious charges depending on the results of the death investigation. “Both are from out of state,” Duncan said. “There is the potential they could otherwise abscond.”
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