A homeless man was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of another homeless man in downtown Daytona Beach.
The Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) took 49-year-old, David M. Mordecai, into custody early this morning (August 21, 2021), soon after officers arrived at the scene on Magnolia Avenue just west of Beach Street. He was booked at Volusia County Jail following questioning by our investigators.
DBPD is not releasing the victim’s identity since next of kin has not been formally notified, but we can confirm he was living on the streets at the time of his death. He also stayed at times at a halfway house in Daytona Beach.
Volusia County emergency dispatch received a phone call at 12:40 a.m. from a witness who claimed that he was walking through the area when he spotted Mordecai standing over the victim, who was motionless on the ground.
First responders arrived on the scene within minutes, discovering that the victim – a 56-year-old white male – had substantial facial injuries and a belt around his neck.
He was also not breathing, so life-saving measures were attempted but unsuccessful. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mordecai was found on the scene by officers with no apparent injuries and detained.
Also discovered on the scene were a broken skateboard and a metal bicycle lock, both of which had blood on them. Investigators believe Mordecai used both items in the attack.
The motive for the attack is not clear, but it appears that Mordecai and the victim knew one another and had been drinking with each other in the hours before the attack.
Detectives continue to actively work on this case and we will update this story if more details are released.
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