Crime scene tape
JENSEN BEACH — A Martin County eye doctor was arrested at his Jensen Beach home Friday night and charged with first-degree murder in the early-morning shooting of his ex-wife earlier in the week in Palm Beach County.
Cynthia Seith, 54, was found dead by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies outside of her Lake Worth Beach condo, in the 4700 block of Lucerne Lakes Boulevard, shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday. A flight attendant who worked for Spirit Airlines, she was wearing her uniform when she was shot while walking between her car and her residence, according to an investigation by Violent Crimes Division sheriff’s detectives.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said Saturday it was not yet known whether Cynthia Seith was leaving for or arriving from work. She died just two days before her 55th birthday.
By Friday, investigators had zeroed in on ex-husband Richard Seith, 53, a Stuart-based ophthalmologist, as a suspect. After executing search warrants at both his Stuart office and Jensen Beach residence, located in the 2000 block of Northwest Windemere Drive, Palm Beach County deputies, assisted by U.S. Marshals and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, arrested him at his home.
He worked at Treasure Coast Eye Specialists in the group’s Stuart office, located at 1441 S.E. Ocean Blvd. His page on the group’s website had been removed as of Saturday.
Seith was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he was charged with first-degree murder, and was due to make his first court appearance Saturday morning.
Richard Seith first bought the property where he was arrested in 2015, and it is listed in records as a past residence for Cynthia Seith as well. The ex-couple first filed for divorce in January of 2021, according to Martin County court records, with their case having been closed in May.
Wicker Perlis is TCPalm’s Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County ophthalmologist charged wtih murdering ex-wife