Brother of man accused of killing girlfriend in Palm Springs speaks out
We are learning more about the man accused of killing a woman in Palm Springs earlier this year.
James Beushausen was arrested last week in McAllen, Texas for the murder of Jaylynn Amanda Keith in Palm Springs.
On March 15, 2017, Keith was found dead in a bathtub with a gunshot wound in the center of her forehead at an apartment in the 600 block of N Bellardo Road, according to court documents.
Read: Man arrested and charged for Palm Springs murder
Now, the brother of James Beushausen is speaking out, saying that James is innocent.
“No, he did not do that. He’s not a mean person at all,” said Al Betancourt.
Betancourt said there’s no way his brother killed his girlfriend.
“Because he was there when it happened, he was asleep when it happened and he said he woke up hearing noises and when he got up he found her in the bathtub.”
Jaylynn and James dated for more than five years. Betancourt said she was just like a member of their family, but she was battling with depression and he believes she killed herself.
“When her dad passed away, he left her a little dog and the dog died, like, two months before that and she was on medication for depression. They’re saying she wasn’t depressed. She was on medication for that stuff.”
Jaylynn’s best friend Alli Hopkins disagrees with Betancourt. In a statement, she said Jaylynn was planning on leaving James the night before she was killed:
Their relationship was a little rocky. Like all relationships they start out great. He became jealous and controlling. He never really came to family functions. Only a few of the ones hosted by her adoptive family. He was also drinking and using. Tried to make her out to be the crazy depressed one. She tried to help him get better. Attended rehab and counseling with/for him. She did for him to make him happy. She was planning on leaving him the night before she was murdered. She was the type of person who would try to brighten your day. Always had a smile on her face. You could ask anyone of her friends. Everyone who knew her knew she would never have killed herself over a guy. And the ones that claimed it to be a suicide honestly never really knew her. She had been through so much in her life a guy was not one to break her.
– Alli Hopkins
Investigators said a forensic analysis of the scene revealed that it was unlikely that Keith killed herself based on the position of the body.
Despite that analysis, Betancourt still says his brother is innocent.
“He’s never been in jail before, so I don’t know how he’s taking it in there. I looked at the picture that it showed on the news. He’s hurting.”
Betancourt says his whole family is from McAllen, Texas, and James moved there to put the situation behind him.
Authorities have 30 days to bring Beushausen back to California.
Betancourt says their family is working on getting a lawyer and plans to fight to clear Beushausen’s name.
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
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