Daughter of woman found dead in Charlotte County speaks out after arrest of caretaker

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Police arrested the caretaker of a woman whose body was found in a remote part of Charlotte County more than one year ago.

Cape Coral Police arrested 60-year-old Lori Hamilton on Wednesday for disturbing a dead body and failure to report a death. Deputies transferred her to Charlotte County to face charges. 

WINK News obtained an arrest warrant that said Hamilton tried to conceal Brenda Corbin’s death and altered evidence. In an exclusive interview, Corbin’s daughter said she feels like justice is starting to be served. 

“You know, she seemed like she was a good friend to my mom,” Heather Bliss said. “There was just nothing there for me to suspect that she would do something like this."

Corbin struggled with mental health for years, Bliss said. She bounced around different care facilities before landing with Hamilton, who was a longtime friend. An arrest warrant said Hamilton checked her out of a Tampa care facility on May 3, 2025 to attend a friends funeral in Naples. 

Hamilton said she wasn’t happy with the care Corbin received in Tampa, the warrant said. While searching for a new facility, Hamilton said she would take care of Corbin at her Cape Coral home. 

Two weeks later, law enforcement discovered Corbin's decomposed body under the brush near Bermont Road in Charlotte County. 

Hamilton reported Corbin missing from on Tuesday, May 20, the warrant said. She told detectives that Corbin likely walked away. However, a canvas of the neighborhood turned up no video of Corbin. Neighbors did not remember seeing her recently. 

That’s when the Violent Crimes Unit got involved. Hamilton did not seem “too concerned” about Corbin’s disappearance, the warrant said. Cellphone history later showed that Hamilton ran errands and didn’t search for Corbin before calling police, the warrant said. 

“At that time it really bothered me,” Bliss said. “If my best friend went missing, I’d be posting it all over Facebook. I’d be doing everything I could. 

License plate readers tagged Hamilton’s truck driving north and south on State Road 31 in the early morning hours of May 19, the warrant said. Cameras caught Hamilton’s truck at the intersection of State Road 31 and Cypress Parkway just before 5:00 a.m.

Hamilton refused to answer detectives questions about the license plate hits, the warrant said. 

“Hamilton’s demeanor changed,” the warrant said. “She became quiet and looked down at the floor. When pushed for a reason why she was out there that night, she refused to state way. She refused to answer whether Brenda was with her or if she had left her at home alone.”

Police requested Hamilton’s cellphone data. Hamilton’s cellphone mirrored the movement of her truck, the warrant said. Hamilton’s phone pinged in the middle of a nature preserve south of Bermont Road and Chiquita Drive in the early hours of May 19.

A search of the area later found Corbin’s decomposed body on May 23. There were drag marks in the grass leading from the edge of the road to the body, the warrant said. A leather belt was found in the grass nearby. 

Cape Coral Police obtained a search warrant for Hamilton’s truck and home. Cadaver dogs sniffed human remains at or near the tailgate of Hamilton’s truck, the warrant said. A search of the truck found Corbin’s medication from the Tampa facility, along with her insurance and social security cards. Discolored towels and bedding were also removed from the truck. 

Detectives also seized several items from Hamilton’s home, including a blanket that had vegetation stuck in it.

Investigators returned to Hamilton’s house in June. She refused to exit the home and partially leaned out of the door, the warrant said. When detectives told her Corbin’s body was found, she slowly backed into the residence and locked the door. 

Investigators also spoke with employees at Corbin’s care facility in Tampa. The employees said they frequently had problems with Hamilton. She did not give doctors permission to adjust Corbin’s medication, the warrant said, leading the Florida Department of Children and Families to get involved. The facility said Corbin could take care of herself but needed assistance with memory care. 

In July, detectives spoke with Corbin’s children. The warrant said Corbin’s son shared an earlier voicemail from his mom. Corbin said that Hamilton would not tell her the address of the home. Hamilton then apologizes and hangs up the phone, the warrant said. 

The Medical Examiner’s office did not determine the cause of Corbin’s death. 

Bliss said she’s happy that Hamilton was arrested. But she believes there’s more to the story. 

“I wish that she would do the right thing and tell us what happened,” Bliss said. “Because it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Court records show that Hamilton’s first court appearance was on Saturday. A judge set bond at $6,000. She is still in the Charlotte County Jail as of Sunday night, records show. An arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 8. at 9:30 a.m.