A 19-year-old man, Julien Welch-Beddoe, has been accused of killing his father, Francis Welch, 45, after a fight over food. The incident happened on January 19 at their home in Melbourne, Florida. Julien has been charged with manslaughter.
According to a police report obtained by Law&Crime, the fight started when Julien made himself a plate of food. His father told him he didn’t deserve to eat because he wasn’t working. Despite this, Julien went ahead and prepared his meal. However, as he was taking the food to his room, his father pushed him. This led to a physical fight between them.
Julien admitted to police that he put his father in a headlock and hit him two or three times in the ribs. He later placed him in a chokehold on the ground. Francis’s fiancée, who was also in the house, tried to stop the fight, and eventually, the two separated.
Julien went to his room, but shortly after, he heard a loud noise. His father’s fiancée yelled, “This isn’t a joke!” When Julien came out, he found his father on the ground, looking pale and unwell. They quickly called 911 for help. Sadly, Francis was taken to Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, where he was pronounced dead in the early hours of January 20.
An autopsy revealed that Francis died due to internal bleeding caused by a lacerated spleen, which resulted from three broken ribs. Days later, police charged Julien with manslaughter. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 25.
In a separate case, another Florida man, Stephen Havrilka, 34, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a housekeeper at a motel. The incident happened in 2021 at the Rodeway Inn in Venice, Florida. The victim, Tina Strader, was cleaning room 205 when she was brutally attacked.
Tina had texted her husband, Gerald Strader, to let him know she was starting work in the room. When he didn’t hear from her for a while, he became worried and went looking for her. He found her unconscious inside a closet with a towel stuffed in her mouth. Despite his efforts to save her, she was later pronounced dead.
Authorities said Havrilka was staying in the same room where Tina was attacked. He was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
These tragic incidents highlight the devastating effects of violence and the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully.
