DEATHS ON A BOCA STREET

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COURTESY

Gemma and Ian Burlakoff. were married In 2005 and were seeking a divorce.

BY BlUTTANY SHAMMAs Staff writer

. ·'t~. divor~e: papers were filed, the house in.fm:edosure, th~ :~tv~ M&P.sta.11 under stress "'aBo\tt . ey m\i mental health.

Ian . and Gemma Burlakoff had be'en separated for about a

· month when theydecided to try agaip.~ Witlljh. weeks, their trou.­bleiLn'larnage ended in two bursts ofbulletuiter dinner at:" the Bcica Ralon Resort and Club.

'f¥ CQuple's argument that SUiiday · iwening would be ·the liist of ma)i.y.

Pbiice •say Ian Burl~"-41;. shot and killed his 37-~ld.­,wife alongJ?.~ ocean~ . :~ before sunset Wh~ po­lice cOnfronted him across. th~'· street soon after, .. Burlakoff reached fOr . his handgun and police shot.him dead. , •· ,. ,

Public .records and .inter':' .cviews · with)>~ople -Who knew Ian and~ Bnrlakoffpidnt a picjUre of a. volatile man:ial¢ neither was ready tc> leave. . . . ~She wan~ it'.~ work, ver.y

badly,'' .said · Gemnui.'s . attorney, Katherirte· Corrigan, of Fort Lauderdale.

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DEATHS Continued from Page 1A

Ian's father, Leonard Burlakoff, said his son was most concerned about his four children, all girls, the oldest 12 and the youngest just a baby. "He wanted to get back together.mainly for the kids. He was afraid that he wouldn't see the younger ones enough:'

In this marriage, signs of trouble came early. Arid over the next eight years, the good times were broken up with police calls to the house, fights over gambling debts and shopping sprees, and allegations of infidelity.

Roots of the marriage

The couple married in October 2005, four years af­ter her sister introduced , them. It was the third mar­riage for both of them, court records show.

She was outgoing and friendly, a Florida State Uni­versity Tri-Delt who stud­ied occupational therapy and once worked at Delray Medical Center, family members said. ·

He played basketball for Brandeis University in Mas­sachusetts and went on to get a law degree from Nova Southeastern University. In the end he followed in his dad's footsteps as a car deal­er, working his way up to general manager of King Hyundai in Deerfield Beach and bringing home . $850,000 a year, court re­cords show.

Ian Burlakoff had a daughter from a previous marriage. Three other daughters later joined the family, the youngest born just over a year ago, and the couple gave each a first name that began with a ''B:' Their mother stayed home with them.

The family lived in a 7,500-square foot home with nine bathrooms in the Oaks at Boca Raton. Re­cords show Ian Burlakoff bought it with his mother and father for $19 million in 2004. Gemma Burlakoff drove a 2013 Cadillac Esca­lade valued at $58,000, while Ian used a company sedan.

They were members at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, according to court .e1__ __..J ... t.._.:_ -1..:1..:1--- _ ....

clothing, $4,500 on enter­tainment and $2,000 on va­cations, court documents show.

Leonard Burlakoff said his daughter-in-law put pressure on her husband to make enough money to sup­port that lifestyle, and he had to lend him money to keep up. Her father said Ian had a gambling habit that drained the marriage:

Ian Burlakoff worked long hours six days a week, his father said, and called Sunday the ''kids' day" be­cause he always spent it with the children.

"That's who he lived for;' Leonard Burlakoff said. "That's all he lived for:'

Trouble in the home

Trouble erupted just two months after they marri.ed.

Ian Burlakoff sought a protective order against his new wife. In court paper­work he filed on Dec. 27, 2005, he wrote that Gemma 1

had hit his father over the head with a wine bottle the previous day - th~ second day of Hanukkah for the

. Jewish family. The next day, Ian B"urla­

koff was back in court to drop the restraining order. It was dismissed and Gemma, who had moved out, returned home.

In the years that fol­lowed, sheriff's office depu­ties were called to the house multiple times, sometimes twice in one day. Over the six-year span from October 2007 to last Sunday, there

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Roots of the marriage

The couple married in October 2005, four years af­ter her sister -introduced them. It was the third mar­riage for both of them, court records show. · . . ...

She was outgoing a#d' friendly, aFlorida State Um• venity Tri~Defr who stud­ied occupational therapy and once worked at Delray Medical Center, family members said. ' ·

He played basketball for Brandeis University in Mas­sachtisetts and went on to get a law degree from Nova Southeastern University. In the end he followed in his dad's footsteps as a car deal­.er,· working his way· up to general manager of King Hyundai in Deerfield Beach and ·· bringing home $850,000 a year, court re­cords show.

Ian ·Burlakoff had ,a daughter from a previous marriage; Three other daught~rs later joined the f~y,· the youngest born just over a year ago, and the cc;>Uple gave each a first name that began with a "B.'' Their mother stayed home with them.

· The family' lived .in a 7,500-square foot home with nine bathroomS in the Oaks at Boca Raton. Re­cords show Ian Burlakoff bought it with his mother and father for $19 million in 2004. Gemma Btirlakoff drove a 2013 Cadillac Esca­lade valued at, $58,000; while Ian used . a company sedan. · .

. / Ibey ,,were. members at the Boca Raton Resc!rt and Club, according to court files, an~ their children at­tended private schools -North Broward Preparatory School · in Coconut Creek for the oldest, Saint An- · drew's School in Boca Ra­tol). for the younger school­aged daughter. They had a full-time nanny.

In an average month, the family spent $3,500 on

clothing, $4,500 o~ enter­tainment and $2;000 on ya.. catiortS, court documents show. · · Leonard Burlakoff said his daughter:-in-law put pres8ure on her husband to make enough money to sup­port that lifestyle, and he had to lend him money to keep up. Her father said Ian had a gambling habit that drained the marriage.

.Ian Butlakoff worked long hours six days a week; his father said, and ·called Sunday the "kids' day" be­cause he ·always spent it 'with the children.

"That's who he lived for." Leonard Burl~koff said. "That's all he lived for."

Trouble in the home

Trouble erupted juSt: two months after they married.

Ian Burlakoff sought a protective order against his· new wife. In court paper­work he filed on Dec. · 27, 2005, he wrote that Gemma had hit his father over the head with a wine bottle the previolis day - th~ second

·day of Hanukkah for the . Jewish family.

The next day, Ian Burla­koff was back in court to

· drop the restraining order. It was ' dismissed and Gemma, who had moved out, returned home.

In the years that fol­lowed; sheriff's office depu­ties were called to the house multiple times, someili,nes twice in one. ;day; OWf the six-year span ftbfti' October 2007 to last Sunday, there were eight calls, .records show. The Sheriff's Office was unable to state the rea­son for all the calls, but said one involved a domestic dis­p~te and another a verbal threat.

Ian. Burlakoff filed for di­vorce on June 2l, Writing in court documents that the marriage was "hTetrievably

broken.'' His wifei he wrote, refused to work and wasted thousan~ on "mitrageous shopping sprees:' snatching up shoes and purses with price tags in the thousands.

She had hundreds of pairs of shoes that -cost .$1,000 or more a pall; about 50 purses that ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 airieee, and $80,000 worthttfjew- · elry, court records show.

Although Ian BurlakQff said she refused to wo~k, Gemma Burlakoff claimed that he insisted she stay home with the kids.

Someone called police to the house the night the di­vorce papers Were filed, and Ian Burlakoff moved out. He retreated to ·}µs parents' Boe.a Raton house, calliJ)g daily to talk to his kids, ac­cording to his father . .

. The two oldest, who are six and 12, were lit 11'1 an.: summer. sleep-away camp · in New York. 'the yoitmpr two, oae and four ~an old, ~ with their lllGll1 at the family's ftolllSe ia the Oaks.

Geriun.a Burlakoff wouldn't let 1w h.Dead see them, a:ccordini tc(' paperwork he Ried wfdt the 1 court. Ian clahned Gemma told h;s mother the wasn'! allowed to write ta the cou· pie's 6-year-old daughter at summer camp.

Ian Burlakoff wrote that he loved his ·children and pleaded with the court to help him apend time 1fltli them.

Corri an said Gemma

devastated" bi her us­band's decision to divorce her. She said she WIS left with nothing - not even enough money fol' the. baby's diapers.

About a month after Ian Burlakoff filed for divori:e, Gemma Burlakoff fired back, telling the court he blew $1,000 a month on personal grooming - in· eluding body waxing- and

poured more into ·Pt~~ 8';nbedsQ:roids. . ·

Genuna Burlakoff wrote that she had reason to be­lie"Ve her husband had or· was having an affair.

She said he refused to take lllf!dication for his bi­wlar diSotder. · An&lQ &greed that the

marriage was· broken. "She was in love with him

and she was seated to death ~'Of him/' C~rrigan said. 1'It was 5uch a dichotomy be caU'se his behavior was er­ratic:' ,

teoniii'.d Burlakoff said his son had a mbod disorder, but was stable and taldng, his medicine. He said Ian was in love with Gemma and vvm,.ta never have an af{air. .

In court filings, 'the cou­ple argued over alimony. Ian

· Burlakoff wrote that his wife was "fully capable" of gettitig a job and supporting

ROBERT DUVOS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

'That's who he lived for ... That's all he lived for."

, Leonard Burlakoff, above, said of his son Ian's children

l""'l"f--------.Jl'ff• ·· .... ~,-...,.~·---· -·' ---· --· ·--· ·-· · ·-··--· •.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Ian Burlakoff, center, with his wife, Gemma, and daughter Blake, then 5, during a Tot Shabbat service at Temple Beth El in Boca Raton in 2006.

LEONARD BURLAKOFF/COURTESV

Ian Burlakoff with his daughter, Blake, in an unc;lated photo. The Burlakoffs had three other children.

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herse1£ Ge~ Burlakoff, _ said her husband ~oukl'~·1 • ford to contnoute" to sup­porting her ~o · that s~e could' "maintam herself m the same standard she en­joyed dUringthe marriage."

The two talked about get­ting · help or counseling, COnigan said. Eventually, before the summer was over, they got back together to give their marriage an­other Chance.

"I .tried .all s~~ ~ make her re~ tlWti~ there's these issues iira~ riage~ it's tim~) to ~alk away," Gemma's mother, Linda Villareale, told WPTV-Ch. 5. "She couldn't, she couldn't for the sake of the children."

The end of everything

The Friday before she

died, Gemma told her father everything was _fin_e. They chatted about the new nanny ·and when he could come visit his grandchil­dren, Frank Villareale said.

Two days later, she and Ian had their last argument. What it concerned and how .it escalated is not clear. · Police have said little, and his family and hers tell dif. rerent versions of events.

On this they agree: The couple and the ~ oldest children spent the day at the Boca Raton Resort and Club on East Camino Real. The family often spent days poolside at the club, Leon­ard Burlakoff said. The baby was home with the nanny. ,

Gemma's mother sug"' gested to a television.station that he 1'lay have seen something on ,her phone and gotten angry. Ian's ·fa. ther said he didn't know what started it.

Her family told reporters she left the club and was running from him when he shot her in front of the Chal­fonte condomillium bUlld­ing near 500 Ocean Boule­vard. It's not clear where the children were in that version of the story. ·

Leonard Burlakoff told it differently. He said ·he was at work when he got a des­perate call from his son about 5:30 p.m.

Come quick, he recalled Ian saying. He and Gemma had gotten into a fight and -he had walked out of the ·restaurant with two of the children, leaving the car be­hind for her and the ·12-year-old daughter. He was ~alking down O~an Boulevard and .needed a ride. . .

Ian Burlakoff had a con­cealed weapons permit and often carried a gun for pro­tection, his father said.

Leonard Burlakoff said he pulled _ up to a scene swanning with police.

" ... . When I got there I -. saw Ian on the ground and two cops were shooting, with him on the ground,'' Leonard Burlakoff recalled. "I tried to get through with my car to get to him, yelling, 'This is my son!' " , Now, with his son and daughter-in-law both gone, he seems riddled · with re­gretthat he didn't arrive just a few niinutes sooner. '

;i~ :got there as faSt as I could,'' he said. "If I would have gotten there earlier, before this would have hap­pened, I would have had him and the two little kids in the car and I would have driven them home.

''!twas an argument And they've had arguments be­fore."

bshammas@tribune.com,. 561.-243-6531 or Twitter @britsham