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Mar 13, 2008 8:23 am US/Eastern
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Visitation Thursday For Murdered Plantation Lawyer
Broward County Crimestoppers: 954-493-TIPS.
A Reward Of Up To $251,000 Is Being Offered.
Visitation: Thursday at the T.M. Ralph Funeral Home - Memorial Service: Friday Friday at the Christian Life Center
PLANTATION (CBS4) ―
Family and friends of a murdered Plantation attorney will gather Thursday to say goodbye.
A visitation for Melissa Britt Lewis will be held Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 at the T.M. Ralph Funeral Home, 7001 NW Fourth St., Plantation. A memorial service will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the Christian Life Center, 2699 W. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. There will be no burial.
Plantation Police Detective Phil Toman told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that Lewis' death was "definitely not random."
In a briefing with reporters Wednesday morning, Plantation Police Chief Larry Massey reiterated the statement and said Lewis's murder wasn't random but he would not say whether or not she knew her attacker.
"There's absolutely nothing to suggest that the victim was followed to Publix, that she was identified or targeted by someone while at Publix, or that she was followed home from Publix," said Massey.
This eases neighbors' concerns that there might be a killer lurking in their neighborhood.
In addition, Massey said they do have promising leads. Police have already executed several search warrants and seized a car that may be connected with the crime but police have not disclosed what they found.
In response to a question about a reported dispute among family members, Massey would not discuss whether there were family issues connected to the homicide.
Chief Massey released this new information in an effort to curb the fears of Plantation residents who were concerned that a killer was stalking women in the neighborhood.
The body of 39-year old Melissa Lewis was found in a canal Friday morning at 8800 New River Canal Road. Her fully clothed body was discovered by water management workers near a pump station.
Her family described "Missy" was an ambitious, intelligent, driven woman working towards her dream to becoming a judge one day. She had already become a successful lawyer at the law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler.
Lewis's law firm called her a true superstar who had become a well respected lawyer in the field of wage and hour law, who worked for the Fraternal Order of Police.
"There is an absolute, crazy lunatic out there," said Scott Rothstein, Lewis's friend and co-worker. "Anyone that would hurt this woman is really a complete lost person, very dangerous."
Police say an autopsy was completed but its results are not being released because police do not want it to interfere with the investigation. They did say however, she was not stabbed or shot.
A reward of up to $251,000 is being offered for information to help solve her murder.
Earlier this week, police released surveillance video of her shopping inside a Plantation Publix Supermarket the night she disappeared.
Investigators said there were signs of a struggle in her garage. Mace and a missing button from her suit jacket were found inside of the garage, leading police to believe that's where she was abducted.
Her 2007 Black Cadillac SRX was also missing from her home, at 7420 Plantation Road, but the vehicle was located a day later in a parking lot at 7500 NW 5th Street, just blocks from her home. There were no signs of blood inside the vehicle, police said.
Police are also looking for a red designer handbag that she had with her when she was last seen at the Publix. Chief Massey said Wednesday morning that the handbag has not been found.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers: (954)493-TIPS.
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