Police in Florida detained a man for allegedly beating another man to death with his golf clubs on a course.
Junior Boucher, 36, has been charged with the murder of Brian Hiltebeitel, 65, at the Sandhill Crane Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens on Monday.
According to a probable cause affidavit, cops responded to several 911 calls regarding a guy assaulting another man on the course shortly after 1 p.m. A witness claimed Hiltebeitel was playing a round when Boucher attacked him.
Hiltebeitel reportedly tried to flee from Boucher, screaming, “He’s trying to kill me!” Multiple times.
Boucher began swinging a golf club at the man, according to police records. At one point, both guys went to the ground, and Boucher repeatedly attacked Hiltebeitel with his golf club. According to investigators, once the men split, Boucher grabbed another golf club and chased Hiltebritel towards the pond at hole one.
According to a witness, Boucher beat the elder man in the head many times with the club before they fell into the pond. After they entered the water, Boucher allegedly leaped on Hiltebritel and choked him. Boucher got off Hiltebritel and took up a golf club after he stopped moving. According to authorities, Boucher proceeded to beat Hiltebeitel in the head.
Following the encounter, Boucher reportedly exited the water, stripped, and walked away. He appeared unharmed, with no visible symptoms of trauma.
Officials responded to the golf course and discovered Hiltebeitel’s body in the water. Officials extracted him and administered life-saving efforts, but he was pronounced dead at the site.
He had several serious cuts in the back of his head and on his body.
Boucher attempted to depart the location, according to court papers. Officials pursued him and ordered him to stop, but were unsuccessful. Boucher was taken into custody after police used a “electronic control weapon.”
The witness reported Boucher as the offender to the police. He is in the Palm Beach County Jail on first-degree murder charges.
According to Dominick Pape, chief of police in Palm Beach Gardens, Boucher had no legitimate justification for being at the golf course Monday. “This appears to be a random act of violence where Boucher used the victim’s golf clubs as weapons and viciously attacked the victim, ultimately killing him,” he said during a news briefing on Tuesday.
Boucher had been reported missing an hour before the incident. He has a history of narcotics possession, domestic battery, and battery on a police officer. The Independent emailed his public defender for comment.
Hiltebritel’s girlfriend, Dina Lauro, called him “a good, good person.”
“He was exciting to be with, always in a good mood, never depressed,” Lauro shared with WPTV. She informed the outlet she is heartbroken by the loss.
“I’m not sure how I’m doing. “I’m just taking it moment by moment; that’s what I’m going to do, and that’s the plan,” she said.