In a random attack on a golf course, a Florida man allegedly struck a golfer multiple times with the victim’s golf clubs and held his head underwater in a pond, killing him in front of terrified witnesses.
The charges against Junior Boucher, 36, include first-degree murder in the death of Brian Hiltebeitel, 65.
According to the arrest report, the bloodshed occurred at the Sandhill Crane Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
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The killing occurred on Monday. At 1:22 p.m., police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a man attacking another man with a golf club at the Sandhill Crane Golf Club, 11401 Northlake Blvd., in Palm Beach Gardens, according to authorities.
Officers discovered Hiltebeitel, whose name is spelled “Hiltebritel” in the arrest report, dead near a pond after the suspect, who was allegedly naked, fled. Court documents reveal that officers repeatedly told him to stop before stunting him with an electronic device and taking him into custody.
According to court documents, a witness golfing there reported to police that a man was yelling and retreating from another man, later identified as Boucher, who was swinging a golf club at Hiltebeitel.
“The witness stated that Hiltebeitel was yelling, ‘He’s trying to kill me,’ multiple times,” according to the papers.”
According to court documents, Boucher began hitting the victim repeatedly with the golf club after both men fell to the ground. The two separated, and Boucher allegedly grabbed another golf club before chasing Hiltebeitel to the pond.
Boucher repeatedly struck Hiltebeitel in the head with the golf club until they fell into the pond, according to court documents. Once in the water, Boucher allegedly jumped on top of Hiltebeitel and appeared to choke him.
Boucher then got off Hiltebeitel, who was no longer moving, grabbed a golf club, and struck him in the head several times, according to the documents.
The witness said: Boucher then exited the water, stripped off his clothes, and began walking away.
According to court documents, officers pulled the victim out of the water in an attempt to save his life, but he died at the scene due to multiple deep cuts to the back of his head and body.
They transported Boucher to the hospital before booking him into jail. According to court documents, he immediately requested a lawyer after arriving at the hospital.
In a press conference, Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape stated that it appears Boucher had no legitimate reason for being at the golf course and that his family reported him missing to authorities an hour before the attack.
According to Pape, Boucher has a criminal history that includes arrests for drug possession, domestic battery, and eluding and resisting arrest, the latter of which occurred in 2022.
“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,” according to Pape.
The Palm Beach County Jail is holding Boucher without bond. Online court records schedule his court appearance for December 26.