Fontainebleau Family Murders: Woman Charged in Mother-in-Law's Killing

April 5, 2011— -- The woman accused of ordering the murder of her travel executive husband two years ago was charged today with arranging the killing of her mother-in-law, whose death was considered an accident until her son was murdered.

Narcy Novack was arrested in Florida on July 8, 2010 on federal charges of conspiring to intimidate, beat and kill her husband, 53-year-old Ben Novack Jr. at a Hilton in Rye Brook, N.Y.

A new indictment filed today charges Narcy Novack and her brother with arranging an attack on her husband's 87-year-old mother, Bernice Novack, at a hotel in Florida in April 2009.

Investigators at first ruled Bernice Novack's death an accident caused by a series of falls, but took another look at the case after Ben Novack was killed two months later.

According to prosecutors, Narcy Novack was trying to gain control of her husband's fortune.

Narcy Novack's lawyer, Howard Tanner, told The Associated Press that the new indictment "does not change the fact that Narcy Novack had nothing to do with either the death of Ben Novack or the death of Bernice Novack."

Ben Novack was the grandson of the founder of the famous Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The hotel has been a Miami landmark for more than 50 years. In its heyday, the 22-acre hotel was the place to be seen. It played host to entertainment legends Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Judy Garland, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, Marlene Dietrich, Debbie Reynolds and many others.

It was also featured in numerous movies including "Goldfinger," "Midnight Cowboy," "Scarface" and "Police Academy 5." Tony Soprano even stayed there in one episode of the HBO series.

To bring the hotel -- listed on the National Register of Historic Places -- back to its glory days, the owners spent $1 billion in renovations, reopening the 1,504-room property in November 2008. It once again became one of Miami's hottest hotels.