Based on the arrest report, Yalter attempted to suffocate her elderly husband with a pillow after finding out that he received a postcard from a woman in Turkey whom he had dated about 60 years ago. The incident occurred at the condominium where the couple lived in the East Coast area of North Miami Beach and resulted in the frail-looking man sustaining bruises and open wounds on both arms and his abdomen, as well as bloody bite marks.

According to several reports, Bertha felt angry after her husband admitted to responding to a postcard from an old friend, but that behavior cannot be justified as a reaction with violence. A lawyer representing the woman told the media that the elderly couple was involved in a regrettable argument, but emphasized that there was no reason to accuse her of attempted murder.

On the contrary, a state prosecutor explained that attempting to suffocate with a pillow is considered attempted murder because "it can cause suffocation and death." "The state attorney conveyed, 'In my opinion, she also admitted to engaging in inappropriate behavior towards her husband.' Therefore, I think that when looking at the situation as a whole, this is far more than just a domestic violence case due to oppression."