Was the turbulence described by the pilots in the Learjet crash accurately assessed?

A Learjet 60 crashed near Palm Beach, Florida, on October 29, killing all nine people on board. The plane was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it encountered severe turbulence and ice, leading the female pilot to declare a mayday emergency. Audio from May suggests a similar incident occurred, where the same pilot was rebuked by air traffic control for mischaracterizing severe turbulence as moderate. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, with reports suggesting the aircraft may have broken apart before impact.