Florida man beaten to death with club at golf course, held underwater

A South Florida man is facing a first-degree murder charge for allegedly beating a 65-year-old man to death with a golf club at a golf course in Palm Beach Gardens, authorities said.

Junior Boucher, 36, of West Palm Beach, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of Brian Hitlebeitel, 65, at the Sandhill Crane Golf Club, a city-owned course along Northlake Boulevard west of Florida’s Turnpike, earlier this week.

He’s also accused of choking the victim and holding his head underwater in a pond, in what was described by Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape as a “random act of violence.”

The deadly attack occurred in broad daylight on Monday. Officers responded to the golf club just before 1:30 p.m. after receiving several 911 calls about a vicious attack near the first hole of the course, reported local station WPBF, citing arresting documents.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they located Hitlebeitel near a pond with deep cuts to the back of his head and body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Boucher, who was identified as the suspect, tried to run away even as officers repeatedly told him to stop. He was eventually taken into custody after Palm Beach Gardens police used an “electronic control device,” to detain him, the West Palm Beach Post reported.

A witness later told police they saw Boucher striking the victim multiple times in the head. During the attack, Hitlebeitel could be heard yelling, “He’s trying to kill me.”

The witness also told police that after the deadly incident, Boucher got out of the pond and “stripped his clothes off” before walking away, WTSP reported.

“At this time, it does not appear that Boucher had any legitimate purpose for being at the golf,” Pape said at a news conference on Tuesday. “Boucher used the victim’s golf clubs as weapons and viciously attacked the victim, ultimately killing him.”

During his first court appearance on Tuesday, Boucher said he believed he was “a victim of witchcraft,” WPEC reported.

Boucher — who has previously been arrested for domestic battery, battery on a police officer and drug possession — is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail.