Family to begin 'healing process' now that man, 42, charged in Dunnellon murder

Paige Fenton wanted closure.

Her brother, Eric Daugherty, had been murdered in the city of Dunnellon − the first recorded homicide in decades. Naturally, she wanted law enforcement officials to find his killer.

After several weeks of waiting, hoping and praying, Fenton got the answer she wanted.

"I'm glad someone got caught," she said by phone from Illinois. "It was eating me up a little bit. He's going to be greatly missed by myself, his family and close friends."

Brian Welcome

A day before Fenton spoke with the Star-Banner, Marion County Sheriff's Office detectives had charged a career criminal with the murder of Fenton's 41-year-old brother.

Authorities received a tip that their prime suspect, Brian Keron Welcome, was in Summerfield. They went there and took the 42-year-old into custody on Thursday. He was booked into the Marion County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He made his first appearance in front of County Judge Tommy Thompson via Zoom on Friday morning.

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Welcome's first appearance

At the hearing, Welcome told the judge he wanted to return to his cell. The judge denied his request.

The judge said he read Welcome's arrest report and determined there was probable cause for him to be detained. Thompson told Welcome the warrant states he should be held on no bond and that he was going to honor the request. His next court date is March 14.

The judge noted that Welcome has 21 felony convictions. He has been released from prison since 2016. Since then, Welcome has spent time in the Marion County Jail for various crimes, including drug possession and giving false name to a law enforcement official.

Sheriff's Office investigation

Since the Nov. 28 incident on Walnut Street in Dunnellon, detectives, led by Inspector John Lightle, have been investigating the murder. Daugherty had been shot twice and his right pocket was turned inside out.

Multiple people were interviewed by detectives for several weeks. From the interviews, officials were told the victim was sleeping in the living room where Welcome is accused of shooting the man twice. They were told the shooter goes by the name "Rockafeller."

Detectives were told that Welcome was acting odd and it appeared he was under the influence of drugs. The shooting was described as "cold-blooded," Lightle said in his report.

City of Dunnellon's last murder

Daugherty's murder was the first reported one in the city in 32 years.

The sheriff's office took the lead on the case since the Dunnellon Police Department does not have a detective.

In the city's last murder, DPD officials said two men, 63-year-old John Kubina, and Edward DeLauder, 43, were at Kubina's home drinking. Officials said Kubina either passed out or fell asleep, and DeLauder allegedly was removing money from the victim's wallet.

Kubina woke up and tried to stop DeLauder. Officials said DeLauder hit Kubina in the head with a frying pan, killing him. Although DeLauder was arrested, the case was not prosecuted by the State Attorney's Office because of questionable witnesses and lack of evidence.

Comments from the victim's family and DPD chief

DPD Chief Mike McQuaig, a former MCSO deputy for more than two decades, told the Star-Banner "we appreciate the MCSO making a quick conclusion to his horrific crime."

The chief added that his agency has advised the homeowner of the nuisance and abatement act. He said no one is currently living at the residence and the homeowner has indicated that the home will be up for sale.

A mother of three boys, Fenton said she misses having her brother around and talking to him on the phone.

"I miss his stories, and my boys miss their uncle," she said.

Fenton said her brother has a son. She said she and her brother were very close. She said not knowing what was going on or what happened, was "nerve-wracking."

"Now that someone has been arrested, I can have some closure and the healing process can begin," she said.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Summerfield man, 42, charged in Dunnellon's first murder in decades