"D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey commits suicide in Fla.

"D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey commits suicide in Fla. Deborah Jeane Palfrey, who is best known as the D.C. Madam, has committed suicide near Tampa, Florida. Deborah Jeane Palfrey was recently convicted of running a prostitution service that catered to members of Washington's political elite, including Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican. She was convicted of money laundering, using the mail for illegal purposes and racketeering. The high-profile case reporters dubbed Palfrey as the "D.C. Madam". Her body was found in a shed near her mother's home in Tarpon Springs, about 20 miles from Tampa. According to the latest reports, Deborah Jeane Palfrey apparently hanged herself with nylon rope from the shed's ceiling making good to her promise not to go to jail. "I am sure as heck am not going to be going to federal prison for one day, let alone, you know, four to eight years here, because I'm shy about bringing in the deputy secretary of whatever. Not for a second. I'll bring every last one of them in if necessary." the D.C. madam told the media last year.

Police says Deborah Jeane Palfrey did leave a suicide note, but they would not disclose its contents at this time. Palfrey's mother awoke from a nap and began looking for her daughter, Captain Jeffrey Young of the Tarpon Springs police department said during a press conference. When she noticed a bicycle had been moved from the shed, she entered the structure to investigate and found her daughter. No foul play appears to be involved, the local police said.

Published on 05/01/2008