NEW PORT RICHEY - Simon Clarke's investigation into Denise Lee Sanders might have contributed to her guilty plea on theft charges Monday. But his investigation might have something to do with Clarke's death as well.
On Monday, Sanders, 37, of New Port Richey, pleaded guilty to theft charges and received 13 months in prison with credit for time-served plus four years of probation. She also received a concurrent four years' probation for unrelated possession of cocaine charges.
David Pollard of England had hired Sanders as the general contractor to build his six-bedroom house on 15 acres off Sanctuary Drive, near the Gulf of Mexico. Pollard had asked his friend, Clarke, a 41-year-old real estate broker from Sarasota, to keep an eye on the construction.
Clarke had suspected Sanders was overcharging Pollard for incomplete work and arranged a meeting for 2 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2001. That night Clarke was found beaten to death in the unfinished home.
While investigating Clarke's slaying, New Port Richey police charged Sanders with scheming to defraud in 2002. Detectives said she bilked $65,000 from Pollard and planned to get another $36,000.
New Port Richey police Chief Martin Rickus said Monday that Sanders is "obviously a person of interest" in Clarke's slaying. He declined to elaborate, saying "We're still working (the investigation) very actively."
After her initial arrest on the scheme to defraud charges, Sanders was released on bail. She was taken into custody when that amount was raised to $500,000. In March 2003, she was released on her own recognizance until her $500,000 bail was reinstated in June after a hearing out of public earshot.
Circuit Judge Daniel Diskey sealed the records and transcripts of that hearing. He later issued an order saying that sealing the hearing was necessary given an ongoing criminal investigation and the safety of those involved.
- Richard Raeke covers courts in west Pasco County. He can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6236, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6236. His e-mail address is rraeke@sptimes.com
