Boynton Beach, FL: Questions remain about Boynton woman’s murder and boyfriend’s suicide in Boca

BOYNTON BEACH —

The quiet calm of a Boynton Beach neighborhood Friday afternoon belied the tragedy that occurred a day before when a 20-year-old student was found murdered and her boyfriend, who police suspect killed her, committed suicide hours later by jumping onto the path of an oncoming train.

Marcline Demosthene was found dead about 1:30 a.m. Thursday in a bedroom in a house in the 700 block of Northwest 8th Street. Police said she lived in the peach-colored single-story home with her boyfriend, 35-year-old Steverson Altidor.

Police believe Altidor killed Demosthene, although they would not say how she died other than ruling out being shot or stabbed.

Altidor fled the scene. He made it to the area of Spanish River Boulevard and Interstate 95, just south of the Boca Raton Tri-Rail station, where he jumped in front of a Tri-Rail train and died.

By Friday afternoon Boynton Beach Police removed the yellow crime scene tape surrounding the neighborhood full of well-manicured lawns. Letters were abandoned in the mailbox. Only two bikes and two chairs remained at the front door.

Property appraiser records show the home is owned by Herald Altidor, Herald Altidor Jr. and Cindy Altidor.

“Everything’s been quiet. I’ve known these people for a while,” said a neighbor who has lived next door to the Altidor family for about 15 years.

The neighbor, who did not want to give his name, said he was familiar with the Altidors but he did not know Steverson Altidor nor Demosthene.

He knew “Junior” played baseball while attending Boynton Beach High School and remembered Cindy as a child. He said he hadn’t seen her in a while.

According to Demosthene’s Facebook page, she too attended Boynton Beach High School and then Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. She wrote on her page that she was working in nursing.

Neighbors said they weren’t familiar with the Altidor family and would only see an older man sitting outside.

They all said that they often saw a number of people going in and out of the home daily.

“There’s been comings and goings there. It’s too close to home,” said neighbor John Ezelle.

Neighbor Bill Wright agreed: “The world’s getting more and more dangerous.”