Brevard County, FL: Dr. Accused Of Beating Wife With Hammer Found Dead

Posted: 5:14 pm EDT July 14, 2010
Updated: 11:38 pm EDT July 14, 2010

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. -- A doctor, who was accused of beating his wife in the head with a hammer, was found dead Wednesday, according to his attorney.
Dr. Tim Truitt’s attorney said he had checked himself into the Hampton Inn in Viera. A hotel employee found his body when she went to check to see if he would be staying another night.
Emergency crews were already at the hotel by the time Truitt’s family found out about his death. His family showed up at the hotel after his death by tracking him down using his court-ordered GPS monitor to track him down. They had been concerned because had not been able to contact him.
Truitt's attorney believes he committed suicide. Robin Lemonidis told WFTV Truitt was found in a bathtub with an empty bottle of sleeping pills nearby. However, that has not been confirmed by authorities.
"His life would have never been the same, and that may have just pushed him over the edge. Obviously it pushed him over the edge,” Lemonidis said.
Truitt’s lawyer said he was distraught over the allegations that he beat his wife. The Indian Harbour Beach physician maintained all along that he was in his home-office while an unknown intruder attacked his wife on June 17th.

However, a paramedic on the scene of the incident said he asked Susan Truitt who attacked her and the she answered, “My husband." The paramedic said her husband was pacing the room in boxer shorts.
Truitt's wife said her husband also slammed her head against the tile floor until she was knocked unconscious.
Truitt's attorney had theorized in court that the couple's son's may have attacked Susan Truitt as a way to frame him. But there was no evidence of that.
WFTV reported that Truitt bonded out of jail on Saturday after a judge lowered his bond from $1 million to $400,000.