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  • December 13, 2024
Man arrested for murder after allegedly attacking golfer with his own clubs and drowning him in golf pond

Man arrested for murder after allegedly attacking golfer with his own clubs and drowning him in golf pond

A man was arrested for allegedly killing a man with the victim’s golf clubs at a Florida golf course on Monday, November 25 in West Palm Beach, Florida. ABC News, Room 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 on Nov. 25 around 1:30 p.m., police said.

According to a Palm Beach Gardens police affidavit, a witness heard Hiltebeitel yell, “He’s trying to kill me,” as he ran from Boucher, who was swinging the golf club.

Boucher, who was previously arrested on unrelated drug charges and domestic battery, allegedly struck Hiltebeitel in the head with the golf club. Boucher then chased Hiltebeitel to a pond on the first hole of the golf course, police said, according to ABC News.

Boucher would continue to pound Hiltebeitel into the pond. Then, in the water, “(Boucher) jumped on top of Hiltebeitel and appeared to strangle him,” the police report said.

When Hiltebeitel stopped moving, the suspect allegedly hit him on the head several more times. Boucher then left the water and “removed his clothes,” the affidavit said.

Sandhill Crane Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 15, 2018.

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Authorities then responded to the scene and found a naked Boucher running away. Officers then went to Hiltebeitel and retrieved him from the pond, where he was found with “multiple deep cuts to the back of his head and to his body.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Boucher attempted to flee from authorities, but was arrested “only after using an electronic surveillance weapon.” Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape said Boucher was taken into custody “after a brief foot pursuit.”

“At this time, it does not appear that Boucher had a legitimate purpose for being on the golf course. This appears to be a random act of violence in which Boucher used the victims’ golf clubs as a weapon and viciously attacked the victim, ultimately killing him. ,” Pape said during one Thursday press conferenceaccording to WPTV.

Authorities are still investigating the murder and note that they are not aware of any connection between Boucher and Hiltebeitel.

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Boucher is being held in the Palm Beach County Jail without bond, according to WPTV and Local 10.

A Palm Beach Gardens Police Department representative did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Tuesday.