BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) — A Manatee County man faces a murder charge after detectives found a body buried in his homeless camp, according to authorities.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said it first learned of the homicide on Dec. 1 when someone said they had information on a murder that happened two weeks earlier.
Detectives said Stephen Astbury Jr., 59, is suspected of killing a 64-year-old man at a homeless camp where they both resided off of 14th Street West in Bradenton.
According to the sheriff’s office, Astbury killed the victim after a disagreement. He was later arrested on an unrelated charge while detectives searched for more evidence.
Monday night, a witness led detectives to a spot in the homeless camp where the victim’s body was believed to be buried.
After digging about a foot into the ground, the investigators found the victim’s body inside a bag.
A murder charge against Astbury was still pending as of this report.
