Tenant invites landlord over for dinner, then ‘brutally’ beats her, FL cops say

A landlord was lured into a dangerous trap when she accepted a dinner invitation and was “brutally” beaten by one of her tenants — who is also a neighbor, according to investigators in Florida.

The “violent and disturbing incident” happened Tuesday, June 24, at a home in Jensen Beach, and concluded with the tenant ramming the woman’s home with an SUV, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office says.

Both the landlord and the suspect ended up in hospitals, officials said.

“Deputies say 69-year-old Brian Thomas Leach, who rents the lower level of the home, invited his landlord — who lives upstairs — to come downstairs for dinner,” a June 25 news release states.

“When she did, Leach brutally attacked and beat her, leaving her with severe injuries. Following the battery, Leach exited the home, got into his vehicle, and intentionally rammed it into the structure, causing significant damage.”

When deputies arrived, they found Leach still at the scene, suffering from self-inflicted knife slashes to his arms, officials said.

He was taken to a hospital for treatment, then released into the custody of deputies and charged with attempted murder, the sheriff’s office said.

“The victim continues to recover from serious injuries,” officials said.

Jensen Beach is about a 100-mile drive north from Miami.

This story was originally published June 26, 2025 at 11:39 AM.