Manatee deputies make second arrest after finding body buried in Bradenton homeless camp
.jpg "The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a second Bradenton man accused of helping murder and bury someone at a Bradenton homeless camp.")
A second arrest has been made in connection to a murder that saw a man killed and buried at a Bradenton homeless camp.
Douglas Gray, 57, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after admitting to helping 59-year-old Stephen Astbury Jr. murder a fellow homeless man around two weeks ago, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday afternoon.
Astbury, who was initially arrested Friday, Dec. 1, on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, is now also facing second-degree murder, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies arrested Astbury after receiving a tip from a person who said they information about a murder that happened at a homeless camp in the 3700 block of 14th Street West in Bradenton.
The tip pointed to Astbury, who lived in the camp.
Following an interview with detectives, they were led to the spot in the homeless camp and upon digging about a foot into the ground, they discovered a bag with a body inside, according to an arrest report.
The sheriff’s office has not released the 64-year-old victim’s name, citing Marsy’s Law.
Deputies have not determined for the killing, the sheriff’s office said.
