Golfer beaten to death with clubs on Florida course in apparent random attack, police say

Posted by Admin November 27, 2024 Golf

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In what police said appears to be a random attack of violence, a Florida man has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities say he beat a golfer to death with the victim’s own clubs on a public Palm Beach Gardens golf course.

Junior Boucher, 36, stands accused in the brutal slaying of Brian Hiltebeitel, 65, who died during the early Monday afternoon assault at Sandhill Crane Golf Club, about 16 miles northwest of West Palm Beach.

The city-owned course is about 70 miles north of Miami.

Palm Beach County Circuit Court documents obtained by USA TODAY show police said Boucher repeatedly struck the victim with golf clubs then forcibly held his head underwater before he died.

“Detectives have not discovered a motive as of yet, as this appears to have been a random act of violence,” Palm Beach Gardens Police Department Maj. Javier Garcia told USA TODAY Wednesday afternoon.

Following his arrest on the course Monday, Boucher refused to speak with detectives without an attorney present.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office records show he was booked into the agency’s central jail just before 11:30 p.m. Monday.

Boucher, who court papers shows lives in West Palm Beach, remained jailed without bond Wednesday, according to online records.

During a court hearing Tuesday at the jail, county Judge Ted Booras assigned Boucher a public defender. Per policy, the county Public Defender’s Office does not comment on open cases.

During a news conference Tuesday, Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape told reporters Boucher did not appear to have a purpose for being at the golf course and, so far, it appears the men did not know one another.

“We’re still looking through the leads,” the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network reported, the chief said. “We’re still interviewing people.”

Who was Brian Hiltebeitel?

Hiltebeitel lived in West Palm Beach at the time of his death, police told USA TODAY. The victim’s girlfriend, Dina Lauro, told NBC Miami she and Hiltebeitel met in Philadelphia before moving to South Florida and said she was in shock at the news of his horrific death.

“He was my right arm,” Lauro told the outlet. “Such a good person, he was exciting to be with, always in a good mood, never depressed.”

USA TODAY has reached out to Lauro.

Palm Beach golfing victim’s body found in pond at first hole

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY, shortly before 1:30 p.m., officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a person attacking a man with a golf club.

According to the court document, officers responded to the first hole of the course and found the victim’s body in a nearby pond.

Not long after, officers said they made contact with Boucher as he attempted to flee, half naked.

Officers arrived on scene and pulled the victim out of the water to attempt lifesaving medical care.

Hiltebeitel “had multiple deep lacerations to the back of his head and on his person,” the affidavit continues. Firefighters pronounced him dead at the scene.

‘He’s trying to kill me!’

According to the report, witnesses told police Boucher began hitting Hiltebeitel with a golf club near the first hole, then grabbed another club and chased the victim to the pond. He continued to strike the victim until both men were in the water.

According to the affidavit, at least one witness told police they heard the victim yell, “He’s trying to kill me!”

At one point, Boucher jumped on top of Hiltebeitel and appeared to choke him, witnesses told police. A short time later, Boucher got out of the water, stripped his clothes off and walked toward a nearby wooded area, the arrest report continues.

Officers wrote they used an “electronic control device” to take Boucher into custody, and then took Boucher to a hospital for a medical evaluation before transporting him to jail.

What lead up to the golf course killing?

Pape said Boucher’s family had reported him missing to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office about an hour before the attack.

Court records show the attack occurred the same day two relatives filed an eviction notice against Boucher.

The same relatives, court records also show, also filed an eviction notice against him in 2018.

Online court records show Boucher is slated to return to court for a hearing on the murder charge Dec. 26.

This story has been updated with new information.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X @JuliusWhigham.