MELBOURNE, Fla. – A 25-year-old Melbourne man was arrested over the weekend and charged with first-degree murder for the death of a 28-year-old found in a home on Garfield Street last week after investigators said he beat and shot the victim following an argument, according to the arrest warrant.
Melbourne police said they arrived at the home in the 1000 block of Garfield Street around 8:42 p.m. on April 28 and found Joshua Elzas, unresponsive. Officers said there were obvious signs of a struggle copious amounts of blood and the victim had extensive injuries, according to an arrest warrant.
Recommended Videos
According to police, Elzas did not live at the home where his body was found but was known to the residents who found him.
The lead investigators working the case obtained an arrest warrant Saturday for Christopher Kane, 25. Kane was arrested by members of the Countywide Game Over Taskforce around 8:20 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release.
According to the arrest warrant, investigators believe Kane and Elizas had a disagreement on April 26 over a photo the victim posted to Snapchat. The warrant did not describe the contents of the social media post but it was of Elizas and another person. Investigators wrote in the arrest warrant Kane was jealous of the victim and the two argued, according to text and phone call records.
A witness who was at the home when Elizas was killed told investigators Kane beat the victim with a crowbar before shooting him multiple times.
The witness described listening to the beating and hearing the victim’s calls for help. According to the warrant, Elizas was trying to escape and was severely beaten when Kane shot him the first time. The witness described Kane shooting the victim at least three times and before the final shot Kane reportedly said, “another one just for fun.”
Kane is charged with first-degree murder in connect with Elzas’ death.
Melbourne police have not released information about how Elzas died or Kane’s connection to the victim.
Anyone with information about Elzas’ death is asked to call the Melbourne Police Department at 321-608-6443 or submit an anonymous tip through Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. The investigation is being treated as a homicide, police said.