Hernando County man arrested in deadly stabbing
Booking image for James Dean Croft (Hernando County Sheriff's Office)
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Deputies in Hernando County arrested a suspect who, they said, fatally stabbed a man.
The stabbing occurred Wednesday. Hernando County deputies said a mail carrier dialed 911 after finding the victim in a grassy area in the 19000 block of Peyton Place in Brooksville.
Deputies said, according to the mail carrier, he turned onto Peyton Place and noticed three children looking at the victim. Then, the mail carrier heard screaming a man's voice saying, "Help, I'm dying."
The mail carrier approached the victim, noticed he was bleeding, and called 911, officials said. The victim, who was not identified, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he passed away.
When deputies arrived, they began searching for the suspect, described as a white man wearing blue jeans and no shirt. A K9 team found the suspect hiding behind a home on Sawdust Lane.
The suspect was identified as 48-year-old James Dean Croft. He was arrested on a murder charge.