MIAMI – A woman with ties to the city of Miami offered to help Overtown families after their loved one was murdered, but some said she helped herself during the process.
Martha Whisby is a community liaison for the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, or the CRA.
"She come here acting like, 'I want to help this family,' and at the same time you are taking money from us," said an angry Dorothy Ruffin, whose 10-year-old grandson, Marlon Eason, was murdered in March.
Ruffin said Whisby knocked on the door after the murder, identified herself as being with the CRA and wanted to help the family.
"That was the first time I ever met Martha," Ruffin said.
Ruffin claims Whisby first offered to get a basketball signed by Marlon's idol Dwayne Wade to give to the team Marlon was playing with when he was shot.
"She said she knew him," Ruffin said.
Ruffin then said Whisby persuaded her to hire Whisby's son's production company to shoot memorial videos. It didn't end there.
"She came here and said, 'My phone was turned off. I needed $75,'" Ruffin said.
Ruffin said she wound up paying Whisby's phone bill and spending $500 on videos. In addition, she said the Basketball was never signed by Wade.
"She is using victims like that. I don't think that is right," Ruffin said.
The family of 16-year-old Richard Hallman has a similar story.
Hallman was shot and killed the same day as Marlon Eason. Whisby wound up borrowing $1,000 from Hallman's mother, apparently for her mortgage.
Hallman's mother, Tranell Harris, said Whisby did pay her back.
Local 10 News' Jeff Weinsier asked Harris why she lent Whisby the money.
"It was a vulnerable time and I was trying to help someone out," Harris said.
Wasn't Whisby supposed to be helping Harris out?
"Right, yes," Harris said
Whisby refused to talk to Local 10's Jeff Weinsier.
CRA Director Clarence Woods would not do an on camera interview, but said by phone he was aware of the situation after families came in to complain.
Woods said Whisby received ethics training after the incidents.
Ruffin called Whisby's conduct a conflict of interest and thinks she should be fired.
The Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA was created to promote redevelopment in Overtown. It is funded by residents' tax dollars.
The CRA has a governing board made up of Miami city commissioners. Those who work for the CRA have city of Miami E-mail addresses and business cards with the city seal, but are not city of Miami employees.
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