Miami PD: Man faces murder charge after bashing victim in head with piece of broken sidewalk

Witnesses say victim first ‘sucker punched’ Albert William Bethea in neck

(Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation)

MIAMI – A 58-year-old man is behind bars after he was involved in an altercation with another man in Miami that turned deadly over the weekend.

According to an arrest report, two witnesses told Miami police officers that they saw the victim walk past the suspect, Albert William Bethea, shortly before 6 p.m. Jan. 25 in the area of Northwest Second Avenue and Eighth Street and randomly “sucker punch” him in the neck.

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The witnesses said Bethea then ran toward the sidewalk, grabbed a broken piece of the sidewalk and then threw it at the other man, striking him in the head.

The witnesses said Bethea then picked up the piece of cement and struck the victim in the head with it about four times.

“At this point, the victim was defenseless and deemed to be no longer a threat to the defendant,” an officer wrote in the arrest report.

Police said Bethea didn’t stop there, but tossed the piece of sidewalk to the side and stomped on the victim’s head with his boots.

The victim was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, suffering a brain bleed among other inquires, the report stated.

He died on Sunday, authorities confirmed.

Police said as Bethea was being detained he spontaneously said he had been shot in the head and was defending himself.

As he was being transported to the police station, he continuously struck and kicked the back of the officer’s vehicle, but did not cause any damage to it, the report stated.

Bethea is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.