Golfer Killed With Own Clubs in 'Random Act of Violence'

A Florida man killed a golfer with the man's own golf clubs Monday in what police say appears to have been a "random act of violence" at a Palm Beach Gardens golf course. Junior Boucher, 36, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Brian Hiltebeitel, 65, at Sandhill Crane Golf Club, the Palm Beach Post reports. Police said a witness told them they saw Hiltebeitel fleeing from Boucher and yelling, 'He's trying to kill me," as Boucher swung a golf club, WPTV reports. The witness said Boucher hit Hiltebeitel multiple times with the golf club after both men fell to the ground.

The witness said Boucher then retrieved another club and chased Hiltebeitel to a pond near the course's first hole, reports CBS News. Boucher hit Hiltebeitel multiple times in the head with the club, then "appeared to be choking him" in the pond, according to a police report. Police said that after he got out of the pond, Boucher took his clothes off and ran away He was detained after officers used an "electronic control device," police said. Hiltebeitel was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say there's no known connection between the two men, the Post reports.

"At this time, it does not appear that Boucher had any legitimate purpose for being at the golf course," Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Dominick Pape said Tuesday. "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." Boucher, who had been reported missing by his family about an hour before the attack, has an extensive arrest record. "I truly believe that I was a victim of witchcraft," he said at a court hearing Tuesday, per CBS. The judge denied him bond. (More Florida stories.)