A man was arrested for allegedly killing a man with the victim’s golf clubs on a Florida golf course on Monday, Nov. 25, in West Palm Beach, Fla., per ABC News, Local 10 and WPTV.
Junior Boucher, 36, was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Brian Hiltebeitel, 65, who was reported missing by his family an hour before the incident. Hiltebeitel was “viciously attacked” in a “random act of violence” at Sandhill Crane Golf Club in West Palm Beach around 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 25, police said.
According to a Palm Beach Gardens Police Department affidavit, per ABC News, a witness heard Hiltebeitel shouting, “He’s trying to kill me,” while running away from Boucher, who was waving the golf club.
Boucher, who was previously arrested on unrelated drug and domestic battery charges, allegedly began striking Hiltebeitel in the head with the golf club. Boucher then chased Hiltebeitel toward a pond on the golf course’s first hole, according to police, per ABC News.
Boucher allegedly continued to hit Hiltebeitel in the pond. Then, in the water, “[Boucher] jumped on top of Hiltebeitel and appeared to be choking him,” per the police report.
Once Hiltebeitel was no longer moving, the suspect allegedly struck him in the head several more times. Then Boucher exited the water and “stripped his clothes off,” per the affidavit.
Authorities then responded to the scene and found a naked Boucher running away. Officers then went to Hiltebeitel and extracted him from the pond, where he was found with “multiple deep lacerations to the back of his head and on his person.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Boucher tried to flee from authorities but was arrested “only after the use of an electronic control weapon.” Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape said Boucher was taken into custody “after a short foot pursuit.”
“At this time, it does not appear that Boucher had any legitimate purpose for being at the golf course. This appears to be a random act of violence where Boucher used the victims’ golf clubs as weapons and viciously attacked the victim, ultimately killing him,” Pape said during a Thursday press conference, per WPTV.
Authorities are still investigating the murder and note they do not know of any connection between Boucher and Hiltebeitel.
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Boucher is being held without bond at Palm Beach County Jail, per WPTV and Local 10.
A representative for Palm Beach Gardens Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Tuesday.
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