'America's Got Talent' Contestant Says Wife Laura Finley Was Beaten, Robbed in Mysterious Biltmore Hotel Death Before Halloween

The historic Biltmore.

An America's Got Talent contestant who says his wife was murdered at the Biltmore Millennium Hotel downtown filed a lawsuit against the venue for allegedly lax security that he blames for the purported attack.

One big issue that we see with the suit is that the death of 48-year-old Laura Finley, albeit mysterious, has yet to be ruled a homicide, according to what an LAPD detective working the case told us recently. Not, at least, "yet," as he said.

Still, Joseph Finley claims this is what happened:

As a result of remodeling and a packed house for the America's Got Talent auditions, security was allegedly lax or disorganized, and someone, possibly a transient, got into the hotel and fatally beat and robbed his wife after she was locked out of their room.

Joseph Finley's suit claims that, on top of all that, hotel staff downplayed his wife's death. The suit claims hotel workers told cops "there was no sign of foul play," after Laura Finley's dead body was found at the bottom of a stairwell Oct. 23. It was believed she somehow fell six stories before her demise.

The suit states she was found nude from the waist up, with her pants on inside out, and her rings missing.

The case quotes an autopsy report as giving these details about Laura Finley, including "multiple blunt force injuries that include a one (1") inch laceration on the top of her head and a three and a half (3 ½) inch laceration on the side of her head ... "

The suit also mentions possible "defensive wounds" on her body.

It claims she was killed by a transient or outsider who got in via unlocked door from the street.

Interestingly, Joseph Finley was reportedly arrested that day for possessing ecstasy, a drug he told TMZ he and his wife had taken that night. (Family members deny this).

Damages will be sought against the Biltmore for wrongful death and negligence.

[Courthouse News Service].