Key witnesses in mysterious Delray hot tub party murder are ‘extremely suspect,’ defense says

Shira Moolten, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Updated ·9 min read

A ketamine and cocaine-infused hot tub party. Two key witnesses who both say they have cognitive deficiencies and memory loss. A lack of evidence and no motive.

A December motion filed by defense attorneys for Mark Anderson brings new details to light about the bizarre murder that took place at his Delray Beach condo in September, when police say the 45-year-old walked out of his room, took aim, and shot his houseguest — who then proceeded to deny being shot, with no one calling 911 for close to an hour. The guest, Albert Camentz, 58, was later pronounced dead.

Anderson was arrested on first-degree murder charges and is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm. He has remained in Palm Beach County jail since his arrest. But his attorneys are asking the judge to set a bond hearing, arguing that the existing evidence is not enough to require Anderson to remain locked away.

Though judges rarely grant bond in second-degree murder cases, the attorneys argue that the “extremely suspect” testimony of the two witnesses, a married couple Susan Schneider and Jack Feinberg, who last saw him alive is insufficient and has changed over time.

But witnesses claiming memory loss are actually not that uncommon, according to Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, often a sign of witness tampering. He thinks it is close to impossible that the judge will allow Anderson to be released.

“Did somebody get to them?” he said. “Did the defendant, or someone on behalf of the defendant, get to them and intimidate witnesses such that they suddenly had convenient memory loss?”

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The murder

The evening began with the Crazy Fingers concert at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Sept. 12, 2023, according to the probable cause affidavit, though the defense motion claims that the two witnesses had already been using drugs during the day.

Crazy Fingers is a local Grateful Dead cover band with a dedicated following, performing at the bar every Tuesday, according to its website. Schneider told police that she originally met Camentz through the band.

Band co-founder Peter Lavezzoli told the Sun Sentinel in a message in September that he had “only just heard about this incident, and I didn’t know either the shooter or the victim. It is completely tragic, and I hope it gets investigated and resolved.”

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At some point Feinberg and Schneider met up with Anderson, who invited them back to his timeshare condo at the Berkshire Condominiums in the 100 block of North Ocean Avenue, according to the probable cause affidavit. Anderson lives part-time at the condo but his permanent address is with his parents in Lake Worth Beach, according to the defense motion.

Camentz called Feinberg to ask what they were up to, and they invited him to Anderson’s. Schneider told detectives that Camentz and Anderson had never met before that night.

When Delray Beach police detectives originally spoke to Feinberg that night, he said he had a cognitive impairment and poor memory recollection, according to the defense motion and affidavit, and that he didn’t know where they were besides being near a pool at a small apartment complex. The next thing he remembered was hearing a loud bang. He later asked for his lawyer and invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.

Schneider relayed a similar story to a detective over the phone, also unable to remember where the group met up.

Later, another detective went to the couple’s home, where he encountered Feinberg yelling at Schneider to ask for a lawyer and not give a statement to police. But she did anyway, detailing the events at that night, though she said she was “high and not paying attention” when the shooting occurred, after which she said Anderson disappeared.

“It appears that all were drinking alcohol, using cocaine, ingesting ketamine and smoking pot,” defense attorneys wrote in the motion.

Camentz had arrived at Anderson’s apartment about 2 a.m., according to Schneider, and the foursome decided to head to the apartment’s hot tub. She went to the patio to get a towel, and when she returned she watched Anderson walk out of his room and point a “black object” at Camentz. Then there was a bang and Camentz and Feinberg fell to the ground.

The two then took Camentz to their home. Schneider told detectives she originally headed to Delray Beach Medical Center but Camentz told her he was feeling better. Yet, when he got to the home, he began to have more trouble breathing. About 2:45 a.m., Schneider said she called 911.

Paramedics arrived, finding Camentz with a single gunshot wound, according to the EMS report. He had gunshot fragments in his heart, liver, and stomach and was pronounced dead in the hospital.

“He did not appear to have known he suffered any injuries,” the report states. ” … Callers on scene deny any altercation or suspicious activity at or near the residence.”

It’s more common than people think for victims of gunshot wounds to not realize they’ve been shot or refuse treatment, Jarvis said. Sometimes they simply don’t know or are in shock; other times they don’t want the attention.

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Shooting not captured on surveillance footage

Video surveillance footage taken from the apartment complex did not capture the shooting, a Delray Beach detective wrote in a police report, according the motion.

But defense attorneys say it did show Anderson walking outside of the apartment around the time Feinberg and Schneider say Camentz was shot, by the pool and hot tub area. Soon after, it shows the couple and Camentz walking to the elevator and leaving the building.

It is unclear whether the footage picked up the “bang” and the time it occurred, and whether Anderson was outside at that time. The motion doesn’t say.

Defense attorneys also argue that they have not seen any gunshot residue test results or evidence that those tests were conducted on anyone who witnessed the shooting.

The arrest

A few hours after the shooting, police arrived at the timeshare again for the purpose of ensuring there were no additional victims, according to the motion.

No witnesses led police to believe there were more victims, defense attorneys argue, describing the police “sweep” of the unit as “unauthorized.”

Police got a key to the apartment from the property manager and entered while Anderson was sleeping and arrested him, according to the probable cause affidavit. While inside, they discovered blood on the balcony wall and a black handgun “in plain view.”

Acting on a search warrant later that day, they found more blood, suspected cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Court documents do not currently say whether the gun was tested for fingerprints or the results of that testing. The State Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the pending case.

The next day, Feinberg apologized to the detective over the phone for his “uncooperative behavior the night before and for not being forthcoming and appearing adversarial,” the motion states.

He then told the detective about texts and phone calls between himself and Anderson the night of the shooting, but the motion does not say what they were about.

Detectives met with Feinberg in person, whose statement “differs dramatically” from what he shared before, the motion argues. He said that he and Schneider had “corroborated each other’s memories about the incident,” according to the police report cited in the motion.

” … the suspicious evolution of purported eye-witness accounts, especially where, as in this case, each witness has described that they have a history of a cognitive disorder, memory deficit, coupled with excessive drug use and alcohol consumption … all combine to create an impediment to the state being able to demonstrate proof evident — presumption great,” the attorneys conclude.

“Proof evident, presumption great” refers to the standard by which judges set bond, requiring the prosecution to show substantial evidence that the accused person committed the crime.

But in cases where the defendant is not extremely wealthy and appears either likely to flee due to the consequences for the crime, or commit more crimes, judges will not grant bail, Jarvis said. With a second-degree murder charge and drugs involved, “there’s just no chance this guy is going to be released on bail.”

The memory-loss argument could point to holes in evidence, but also place Anderson himself in a negative light. In almost all cases of memory loss, it’s because someone tampered with witnesses, Jarvis said, either by intimidating or bribing them. Often it’s not the suspect, but a friend or family member.

There’s also the simple possibility that the witnesses didn’t want to be involved for their own reasons, he added, and “these are just people who don’t want to be in any way, shape or form near a courthouse.”

Who are the suspect and victim?

Court documents reveal little about Camentz, who does not appear to have a public profile on social media. Neighbors didn’t know him very well, describing him as a nice, quiet man who kept to himself. He went to college in New Orleans, according to an online obituary, where he “fell in love with the New Orleans indigenous cultural and music scene,” before becoming active in South Florida’s music scene as well.

Anderson, meanwhile, moved to Florida from New Hampshire and has lived in Palm Beach County for 14 years, his attorneys say. He has two prior DUI convictions in New Hampshire and a DUI arrest that the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office filed no information on, court records show.

A self-employed carpenter, Anderson was active in the local music scene, according to his social media, with pictures of him at concerts and videos of people playing music at his house for his birthday. In the weeks and months following the shooting, friends shared supportive messages on Anderson’s Facebook page, which has remained inactive since his arrest.

“Sending you love and support Brother,” one wrote. “I love you and I’m here.”

Another asked, “Has anyone else tried to get on his visitation list with no response?”

“Praying for you kid,” another said.

Anderson’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Voicemails left with Feinberg and Schneider were not returned.

Prosecutors have not yet filed a response to the motion, according to court records, and the court has not set a hearing. A status check is scheduled for Feb. 8.