Two men have been charged in connection with the death of Kevin Walden, whose body was found buried in a Spring Hill yard. The suspects, Jeffrey Brehony, 37, and Duane "Hillbilly" Sanders, 56, both have charges related to the abuse of a dead human body, while only Brehony is accused of a second-degree murder, as reported by WFLA.
The investigation began when the Hernando County Sheriff's Office were tipped off on September 20 about the possible presence of a buried body. It led them to the property on Algood Road in Spring Hill. The residents described Brehony as having been recently "acting irrational and was paranoid that people were 'watching' him," according to FOX 13 News. A physical altercation between Brehony and Walden allegedly escalated to the point of Walden's death.
After the fatal incident, Brehony solicited Sanders’ help to bury the body and attempted to destroy evidence, including their bloody clothing, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. Sanders later directed detectives to the site where Walden had been buried. A knife claimed to be the murder weapon was also recovered from a nearby storm drain, as written in a report from The Suncoast News.
Brehony initially told authorities that Walden had committed suicide with a knife, a claim contradicted by an autopsy that concluded homicide. "Brehony stated he was afraid to notify law enforcement, as he suspected no one would believe him, due to his criminal history," as he told The Suncoast News. Despite these statements, evidence collected has led to his and Sander's arrest, both of whom are being held without bond while the investigation continues.
