Florida Man Accused of Marrying Three Women in Three Counties Exploits Loophole in State Marriage System
Victims Say Lack of Statewide Oversight Enabled Serial Deception
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL — A Florida man is facing felony bigamy charges after allegedly marrying three women across three different counties — all while still married — in a case now drawing attention to serious vulnerabilities in Florida’s marriage licensing system.
Henry Betsey Jr., 48, was arrested last year after his third wife uncovered his web of deception. All three women, who met Betsey on dating platforms, are now speaking out, demanding systemic reforms and accountability.
“This wasn’t just betrayal. It was a total failure of the state to protect its citizens,” said Michele Narens, Betsey’s most recent wife. “There’s no database. No cross-checking. Nothing that would have flagged him as already married — twice.”
A Tri-County Trail of Deceit
According to court records and firsthand accounts, Betsey married his first wife, Tonya, in Duval County on November 24, 2020. The couple had obtained a marriage license just four days earlier in Gadsden County.
By February 22, 2022, while still legally married to Tonya, Betsey married Brandi in Manatee County. Just nine months later, on November 23, 2022, he wed Michele in Hernando County — marking his third concurrent marriage.
None of the three women knew about the others until 2024, when Tonya ran a public records search that uncovered Betsey’s other active marriages.
“It took me about ten minutes of online digging. Just typing his name into different county databases,” said Tonya. “If I could do that, why couldn’t the state?”
A System Ripe for Abuse
Florida’s marriage license process operates on an honor system. Applicants must swear they are legally eligible to marry, but counties don’t share databases, and there is no centralized system to flag individuals with active marriages.
“There’s really no built-in safeguard,” admitted Pinellas County Clerk Ken Burke. “Unless someone discloses they’re still married, the system won’t catch it.”
Burke said the sheer number of marriages Florida handles — including roughly 6,000 licenses issued annually in Pinellas County alone — makes universal verification difficult without significant technological investment.
“Florida is a top destination for weddings. The demand is high, and speed is part of the appeal,” he said. “Unfortunately, that ease can also be exploited.”
Marriage for Love — or Leverage?
Each of the women said Betsey played the role of doting partner, only to quickly shift focus to financial entanglements once married.
“The day we got married, he said, ‘Let’s put your bank account in both our names,’” said Brandi. “It was clear he had a plan.”
Michele echoed similar concerns, suggesting Betsey targeted recently divorced single mothers, possibly for financial reasons like access to child support or alimony benefits.
“All of us were in transitional phases of life,” she said. “He saw opportunity.”
Legal Fallout and Domestic Abuse Allegations
Betsey has pleaded not guilty to the felony bigamy charge filed in Hernando County. He has since filed for divorce from Tonya and is seeking annulments from Michele and Brandi.
At his most recent court hearing, Betsey claimed he is unemployed and staying with a “Christian friend.” He remains free pending trial.
Two of the women — Michele and Tonya — have obtained domestic violence protection orders against him, alleging escalating threats and abuse after the marriages unraveled.
“I feared for my safety,” said Michele. “When I confronted him about the other wives, he became unhinged.”
Brandi said she removed Betsey from her home just five days after their courthouse wedding.
A Call for Reform
The women are now pushing for legislation that would require a statewide — or even national — marriage license database. But clerks like Burke caution that implementing such a system would be expensive and complex, especially with many people getting married or divorced in different states.
“There’s no easy fix,” Burke said. “People are mobile. Records vary. And without a national registry, fraud like this will always be possible.”
Still, for the women Betsey left in his wake, the lack of accountability is what stings most.
“He might get probation,” said Michele. “And what then? He just finds wife number four? There’s nothing stopping him.”
Betsey’s next court appearance is scheduled for later this month. The women say they plan to attend — not just for justice, but to advocate for real change.
