Warminster native was victim in golf club assault, drowning at West Palm Beach golf course

A former Warminster man was the victim of a random golf club beating and pond drowning in West Palm Beach Monday afternoon and his alleged assailant has been charged with first-degree murder.

Authorities allege Brian Hiltebeitel, 65, who also resided in Doylestown at one time, was brutally slayed by Junior Boucher, 36, in an assault at Sandhill Crane Golf Club, northwest of West Palm Beach, according to the Bucks County Courier Times.

Boucher was reported missing by his family an hour prior to the murder, which also occurred the same day of an eviction filing by the defendant’s relatives, police said.

Palm Beach Gardens Police said there is no motive yet and it appears to be a random act of violence. Hiltebeitel was struck repeatedly in the head with golf clubs, and then his head was forced underwater in a golf course pond, police said.

According to an affidavit, as reported by USA Today, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a golf club attack, with witnesses later telling police they heard the victim yell, “He’s trying to kill me!”

Investigators found Hiltenbeitel’s body in a nearby pond by the first hole of the course. Boucher was half naked, after stripping off wet clothes from the pond, and attempted to flee the scene, police said. He was tased and taken into custody, per reports.

According to the report, the victim’s girlfriend, Dina Lauro, said they met in Philadelphia before moving to Florida, where they ran Chunkie Dunkie/Dina’s Vegan Deli & Desserts in Riviera Beach. Lauro told reporters that Hiltebeitel was “such a good person” and “exciting to be with.”

He is survived by daughters Kelsey, Savannah and Danielle, whose mother is Heather Hiltebeitel, of Warminster, per the report.

Boucher is due in court for a preliminary hearing in Palm Beach County district court on Dec. 26.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.