Eric Betancourt grew up in the Saxapahaw community in Parkford until his parents divorced in 1982. He and jack Heath both attended Prince-Wade Academy, an elite private school. Eric earned his BA in Criminal Justice while on active duty with Marine Corps in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He listed executive protection among his responsibilities at the Heath Group and carried a 9mm model 19 Glock semiautomatic pistol, for which he was licensed.
During the Overlook Road investigation, state police found a photo of Eric Betancourt in murder victim Kathleen Heath's private journal. The journal contained quotes and poems. The journal was discovered in the victim's parents' home in Bridgeport.
Eric told police that in the summer of '91 he sent Kate a signed photo of himself with a message on the back. The photo was taken by his five-year-old daughter, Schuyler, while he and Schuyler vacationed in Canada.
The previous year, he had enjoyed a brief intimate encounter with Kate. At the time, Kate was single, albeit engaged to and living with Richard Heath.
Later, Eric became a Heath Group International employee.
On the post card, he wrote:
"There’s a place down by the lake here. You can ride horses. Schuyler took this picture and said I should send it to my wife. Not bad for a little kid. Kate, my daughter has this beautiful idea of what life and love should be and I have no words to tell her that Pamela and I are in the final stages of divorce. God, I wish you were here."
The photo was signed:
"Thank you for all you've done. Thinking about you. Eric."
Eric’s four-year-old marriage to military police sergeant Pamela Herzberger ended one month after he sent the photo. For the most part, the marriage was over in 1990 when he left the Marine Corps. Pam and Eric separated for several issues. However, they fought almost immediately about having children.
It should be noted that Schuyler is Eric’s daughter from a teenage pregnancy. Eric and Schuyler’s mother, Suzanne Chong, never married.
Suzanne lives with her husband and daughter Schuyler in Canada.