autopsy shows blood in bathroom, hallway

Blood was found inside the hotel room and hallway at the Rosarito Beach resort where attorney Elliot Blair’s lifeless body was found, according to his autopsy, adding further questions to the mystery surrrounding his death.

The traces of blood in the bathroom suggest the Orange County Public defender had sustained an injury and was bleeding either before he left the room, or that after he had been injured he returned to it — all while his wife Kim Williams slept.

“It’s odd, confusing and we just want answers,” said Case Barnett, an attorney representing Blair’s family.

“The report said there was blood in different places but it’s unclear exactly which samples were taken where … and some of the samples came back as animal blood, which is super weird.”

The autopsy — prepared by a coroner in the State of Baja California, Mexico — said “reddish-brown spots” were found in the internal surface of the bathroom wood door, as well as “splash characteristics” on the internal surface of the wooden bathroom door.


Kim Williams
Williams found her husband on the ground below their hotel room balcony.
CBS News

Investigators also found similar reddish splash marks on the hallway, the corridor wall and the concrete floor just outside the room.

The report listed the Jan. 14 death as an “aggravated homicide,” but even despite that Mexican authorities continued to insist he died in an accidental fall from a second floor balcony.

Blair’s family and friends in California, where he was a rising star in the Orange County Public Defenders Office, are continuing to press for answers as to how his body came to be found bloodied and face down on the resort walkway.

Williams maintains her husband had six drinks during the course of their night and that he was not drunk when they both retired to their second-floor room at about 11:45 p.m.


Blair autopsy
The autopsy was prepared by a coroner in the State of Baja California, Mexico.
Courtesy Blair Family

Just before 1:40 a.m. the next morning, Williams told The Post she woke up to the sound of two voices outside the hotel door, which was slightly open. She sat up from the bed and realized her husband was not next to her.

She noticed his sweat pants were at the edge of the bed.

“I know 1,000 percent know he was murdered because none of this adds up,” Williams said. “I know my husband and he would never walk outside our room in his underwear and T-shirt. The only reason he would be outside of our room only in his underwear is if he heard something or someone came to the door.”

One of the men yelled into the room, “Ma’am, ma’am! Is this your boyfriend,” Williams recalled. She ran out of her room in her pajamas and saw her husband’s body on the ground floor, the right side of his face on the ground.

Elliot Blair and his wife, Kim
The couple was in Rosarito, Mexico, celebrating their one year wedding anniversary.
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Elliot Blair and wife Kim
Blair’s death was originally listed as an “aggravated homicide,” but Mexican offiicals insist that the California lawyer’s death was an accident.
Provided by the Blair Family


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Williams said she yelled at hotel staff to call for ambulance but was told medics had left about an hour ago because they had determined Blair was already dead.

For the next four hours, Williams said she stayed in the hotel courtyard and was questioned by police, while her husband’s body remained exposed and uncovered.

Barnett said Williams did not go back up to the hotel room, so she could not have transferred his blood to the bathroom.


Rosarito resort
Blair was found dead in January at a Rosarito, Mexico, resort while vacationing with his wife.
CBS News

Williams said she did not see police question other hotel patrons while she was waiting for four hours. Her husband’s body was finally taken out of the resort at around 5:45 a.m.

The family is planning to conduct a second private autopsy, but Blair’s body was already embalmed before it was allowed back into the US, which is required by Mexican law, Barnet said.

Barnett said preliminary findings on the second autopsy showed Blair suffered at least 40 skull fractures and a toe injury. He also said there was evidence of “road rash” on Blair’s knees, suggesting he could’ve been dragged.

The family has hired private investigators who are in Mexico searching for more evidence, but claim the trail has gone cold.

“Our goal in all of this is to get answers for Elliot,” Williams said. “I have no idea who would do this to him, nor his family, and that’s why we are trying to get these answers. I know in my heart, and based on the autopsy report and injuries found on him, it doesn’t make sense to be anything else but murder.”