Argument leads to fatal stabbing and funeral

SPRING HILL, Fla. (CBS12) — Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in Spring Hill after investigators were led to the victim’s buried body.

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said on September 20 that investigators received a tip about a body possibly buried in the yard of a home on Algood Road. The tip led to a murder investigation.

Investigators were able to identify a suspect, 37-year-old Jeffrey Brehony, who lived in a dilapidated building on the property with the owner’s permission. Witnesses told the sheriff’s office that Brehony acted irrationally and was afraid of being watched.

HCSO investigators said someone working for Brehony at the property mentioned making suspicious comments about a homeless man, Kevin Walden. The sheriff’s office said Brehony and Walden had recently argued, fueled by Brehony’s paranoia.

The argument escalated into a physical altercation in which Walden was stabbed, the sheriff’s office said. Brehony then enlisted the help of 55-year-old Duane Sanders, also known as Hillbilly, to dig a grave and bury Walden’s body.

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When questioned, Sanders admitted to investigators that he dug the grave and buried Walden. Brehony was also questioned and claimed that Walden had committed suicide by stabbing himself. Brehony said because of his criminal history, he burned his bloodstained clothes.

Investigators said they obtained a search warrant and, under the direction of Sanders, found the victim’s body, his vehicle and the partially burned duffel bag hidden in a heavily wooded area. An autopsy revealed that Walden had died from murderous violence. The murder weapon, a knife, was found in a nearby storm drain.

Based on evidence collected at the scene and witness statements, Brehony and Walden were sent to the Hernando County Jail without bail for:

Jeffrey Wayne Brehony:

• Abuse of a dead person
• Second degree murder

Duane Sanders

• Abuse of a dead person
• Accessory to second-degree murder

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