PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – A South Florida man is facing charges for first degree murder after a deadly altercation at a golf club.
Junior Boucher, 36, was arrested by Palm Beach Gardens police after they responded to a call about an altercation between two men at the Sandhill Crane Golf Club on Monday around 1:30 p.m.
According to an arrest report, a witness said Boucher was holding a golf club and swinging it toward the victim, 65-year-old Brian Hiltebritel.
Police said the golfer was beaten to death with his own clubs.
5 p.m. story:
“This appears to be a random act of violence where Boucher used the victim’s golf clubs as weapons and viciously attacked him,” said Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief, Dominick Pape.
The witness said he heard Hiltebritel yell “he’s trying to kill me” multiple times.
“At this time, it does not appear that Boucher had any legitimate purpose for being on the golf course,” said Pape.
The witness told police that at one point both males fell to the ground and Boucher began striking the victim numerous times with the golf club. The two separated and Boucher retrieved another golf club and again chased Hiltebritel towards the pond at hole one. Once in the water, he appeared to be choking him. Boucher then got off of Hiltebritel who was no longer moving and retrieved a golf club and struck him repeatedly in the head.
The witness told police that after this, Boucher got out of the water and stripped his clothes off and began to walk away.
Officers said he tried to run away from the scene, but they stopped him by using a taser.
Police don’t know why he may have attacked Hiltebritel, but in bond court, Boucher told the judge he was a victim of witchcraft.
Police say Boucher has a criminal history that dates back to 2006 for drug possession. More recently he was arrested in 2022 for battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing and eluding police.
Boucher served 255 days in jail.
When officers arrived, they pulled Hiltebritel out of the water. Fire rescue officials later pronounced him dead at the scene.
Boucher is being held without bond.