DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A homeless man died after he was fatally stabbed during an argument with two other homeless men over a pair of sunglasses early Thursday morning, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department.
The victim, a man in his 40s whose identity has not been released, was found next to the Edward Jones financial firm building at 1301 Beville Road shortly after 8 a.m.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri said one of the suspects Mark Lopes, 35, was found sleeping in bushes nearby.
“I don’t know how you even participate in a murder and then fall asleep,” Capri said.
Capri said Lopes had the victim's blood on his clothing.
After speaking with Lopes, detectives identified Patrick Murray, a homeless man with an extensive criminal history, as the second suspect.
Capri said police were at the scene investigating around 10:38 a.m. when Murray walked by and was arrested.
Both men were interviewed about the crime and authorities determined that Murray and Lopes were drinking beers between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. when they got into a fight with the victim about a pair of sunglasses.
Capri said Murray stabbed the victim twice. Lopes is accused of being involved in the altercation and helping to move the body to the area where it was located Thursday morning.
“When you think about it, you’ve got somebody killed over a pair of sunglasses. I just can’t get over how senseless that is,” Capri said.
Lopes told police that he and Murray encountered the victim around 1 a.m. and the victim took Murray's black sunglasses, according to the report.
He said he punched and kicked the victim and Murray stabbed him with a black and blue knife, according to the affidavit.
Police said Lopes claimed he was too afraid to contact authorities because Murray told him, "snitches get stitches."
Murray was charged with first-degree murder and Lopes was charged with second-degree murder.
Mary Lynn Hastings told News 6 she was the one who called police after finding the body.
She owns the realty business next door and when she came to the office Thursday morning, she noticed some trash in the grassy area between her business and Edward Jones.
Hastings saw the body as she was preparing to clean up the mess.
"I wasn't sure if he was dead or alive, so it really startled me because I was afraid if he were alive he might come after me. So I called 911," Hastings said.
Frightened, Hastings ran to her office, locked the door and waited until police arrived.
When they arrived, they determined the person was dead.
"It completely shocked me and was devastating. I've been here 20 years and never saw something like this," Hastings said.
She said she gave authorities a copy of her surveillance video.
Capri said the crime was violent and senseless, but police are confident that everyone involved is in custody and there is no threat to the community.