Foreign-exchange host accused of sexual assault found dead, police say

Cutler Bay couple accused of molesting woman's teen sister

CUTLER BAY, Fla. – A death investigation was underway Tuesday in Cutler Bay at the same home where two sex assault suspects were arrested last week.

Miami-Dade police said Dale Leary and his ex-wife,Claudia Leary, were found inside a car at about 7 a.m. by a friend behind Dale Leary's home along Southwest 185th Terrace and Southwest 87th Avenue.

A suicide note was found nearby, police said.

Local 10 News reporter Layron Livingston saw a hose at the scene that appeared to be attached to the car. 

Police said Dale Leary was pronounced dead at the scene and his ex-wife was taken to Jackson South Community Hospital.

A Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokeswoman confirmed that Claudia Leary is an instructional support specialist assigned to the South ESE Service Center at J.R.E. Lee Education Center.

The spokeswoman said Claudia Leary has worked for the school district for 23 years and does not have direct contact with children in her role. 

Dale Leary and his current wife, Marta San Jose, were arrested June 22 for allegedly sexually assaulting her younger teen sister.

"We do have an ongoing investigation at this residence in regards to a sexual crime that occurred," Miami-Dade police Detective Argemis Colome said. 

Miami-Dade police detectives said San Jose was 16 when she left Spain for South Florida in 2012. The Learys, who were sponsors for students in an international student exchange program, let San Jose stay with them at their home.

After San Jose finished 11th grade, she and Dale Leary flew to Spain to convince her parents to let her stay for another school year, detectives said.

Once San Jose turned 18, Dale Leary divorced his wife and married San Jose, unbeknownst to her parents, police said.

According to the arrest affidavits, San Jose invited her then-14-year-old sister to stay with her and Dale Leary in 2014.

A few days after San Jose's sister arrived in South Florida, she learned that her sister and Dale Leary were married.

Detectives said San Jose manipulated her sister into believing that she was molested by her parents when she was very young and persuaded her sister to allow Dale Leary to conduct a vaginal examination "to prove she was sexually assaulted."

San Jose told her sister that Dale Leary had married her "so she could stay" in the U.S. "and avoid going back home" to her sexually abusive parents, the arrest affidavits said.

A few days later, Dale Leary and San Jose started having sex in front of the girl, police said. The girl said her sister would tell her to allow Dale Leary to perform sex acts on her, convincing her to remove her clothes.

Detectives said Dale Leary performed oral sex on San Jose and her sister, and then made them perform oral sex on him, on more than seven different occasions.

The girl told police that Dale Leary, who was a photographer, wanted to take pictures of her, and he made her consume alcoholic beverages during one of the photo sessions. Once she was intoxicated, Dale Leary made her remove her clothes except for her high heels and pose for him with her naked sister, detectives said.

In some of the poses, Dale Leary had the sisters hug, causing their breasts to touch, detectives said.

Dale Leary and San Jose were arrested on multiple charges, including lewd and lascivious conduct on a child and sexual performance by a child.

Police said San Jose's sister was reunited with her parents in Spain.

Police said Claudia Leary is under investigation in connection with sex crimes involving the former exchange student, but she has never been arrested or charged. 

Dale Leary was previously convicted of a sexual assault in Coral Gables in 1985. 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Layron Livingston made the move from Ohio's Miami Valley to Miami, Florida, to join the Local 10 News team.

Recommended Videos