Tragic update in case of missing Florida mom Perrin Damron

(Perrin Damron, the 23-year-old mom has been murdered, Image credit: MCSO)

(Sept. 9 Update) New, startling, and grisly updates regarding the murder of missing mom, Perrin Damron, 23, are now coming to light. Perhaps most startling is the news that the 45-year-murder suspect, Eric Westergard, was involved in a romantic relationship with his 23-year-old victim – and the victim’s mother. According to WPBF, Westergard “was in an ‘intimate relationship’ with her [Perrin] for weeks before her death while also dating her mother.”

Westergard told detectives that he and Damron had been together Friday night at his house and were “smoking two dabs” before they went to get food at IHOP. Then, he dropped Damron off and later contacted her mother. He told police he was “high” at the time and didn’t clearly remember the timeline. ~ WPBF

Westergard told detectives that after getting high together on the evening of September 3, he and Perrin had sexual relations in the early morning hours of September 4 at her apartment. The two then went to Westergard’s home, where Perrin allegedly fell and hit her head on a hand truck, which is a piece of moving equipment used for moving large objects.

He then told investigators that after striking her head, Damron lost consciousness and was making “gurgling sounds,” and that she died soon afterwards.

According to the arrest report, Westergard grabbed two 65-gallon bags, tape, rope, and a cinderblock. He loaded Damron’s body into the back of his Chevy Equinox, drove it to the area of the Beeline Highway and Kanner Highway near Indiantown, then tossed her body over a bridge into the water.
Martin County’s Marine Unit eventually pulled Damron’s body from the water on Sept. 5 around 11:30 p.m. ~ WPTV

Westerguard has been charged with First Degree Murder-Premeditated and is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail without bond, according to The Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

Our original report from September 6 follows the video update below.

Just hours ago, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced a tragic update in the case of the missing mom from Stuart, Florida. Perrin Damron is dead.

We regret to report that the body of 23-year-old Perrin Damron, who was reported missing Sunday, was recovered in a canal in Indiantown. Her death is being treated as a homicide and an arrest has been made in the case. This investigation is still very active and information is still being processed. ~ Sheriff William Snyder, MCSO

Officials have arrested Eric William Westergard, 45, of Jupiter Farms, Florida, and charged him with Damron’s murder.

Yesterday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office headquartered in Stuart, announced that they were seeking the community’s assistance in garnering information regarding the whereabouts of 23-year-old Perrin Damron of Stuart. The Sheriff’s Office reported that Damron was last seen Saturday, September 4, in the Manatee Creek Community where she lives. That neighborhood is located near Cove Road and Dixie Highway.

Damron was scheduled to pick up her small child from an undisclosed location – but she never showed. She was also supposed to meet up with a friend on Saturday, but never showed for that meeting either. Her family said that was unlike her as they grew increasingly concerned as to their daughter’s whereabouts.

Detectives said they received breaks in the case early on and were able to get on to the suspect. They received one piece of video evidence from a Ring camera that was of Westergard near the house after he had picked Damron up, but they are still asking for any video evidence the public may have, because “every piece of evidence counts.” ~ WPBF

Following the tragic news of Damron’s death, CBS12 reported that the last person to be seen with the missing mom was the family friend, 45-year-old Eric Westergard of Jupiter Farms, Florida. Officials said they went to Westergard’s home, where there was evidence that something had happened there. Westergard then led them to Damron’s body in the Okeechobee Waterway, according to CBS12.