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Jupiter man claims 'intimate relationship' with Stuart mother he's accused of murdering, arrest report says

Report: Eric Westergard tied up Perrin Damron's body, tossed it over bridge into water
Eric Westergard, Perrin Damron.jpg
Posted at 11:24 AM, Sep 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-08 17:27:33-04

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A Jupiter man arrested for first-degree murder in the death of a Stuart mother told detectives he was having an "intimate relationship" with her while also dating her mom at the same time, a newly released arrest report reveals.

Eric Westergard, 45, is being held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail for killing Perrin Damron, 23.

According to Westergard's arrest report, he's the boyfriend of Damron's mother and admitted to investigators that he had been in an intimate relationship with Damron for several weeks.

Westergard said he and Damron spent the night of Sept. 3 smoking marijuana together. They had sex at her apartment just after midnight on Sept. 4, then went back to his home and spent the whole day there.

At some point, Damron fell and cut her head on a hand truck, which is a piece of moving equipment that can slide underneath large items like boxes to lift them up.

Westergard said he went to get paper towels and a blanket, and when he returned, Damron was "unconscious and gurgling." She eventually stopped moving and making noises.

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.

"The body was wrapped in trashbags, taped, and with the rope and cinderblock like Westergard said he prepared Damron's body to dispose of it," the arrest report stated.

A search of Westergard's vehicle turned up white paper towels and baby wipes.

"All the wipes were covered in a dark red substance, consistent with the color of blood," the arrest report said, adding that "there were numerous dark red stains on the floor mat, consistent with the color of blood."

Westergard is under arrest for first-degree murder, as investigators said he did not try to get Damron medical attention when she fell, and instead tried to conceal the discovery of her body.