FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of shooting his girlfriend nearly two years ago is now facing a murder charge after her recent death, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.
Brenan Robert Hill, 33, who was initially arrested in June 2021, in connection with the shooting, now faces a second-degree murder charge in the woman’s death, deputies said.
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According to deputies, who did not say when exactly the woman died, the medical examiner’s officer ruled the cause of death as complications of a gunshot wound to the head.
The victim had for a time regained consciousness with limited communication, according to investigators. Sheriff Rick Staly previously described her injuries as “life-altering.”
“Unfortunately, the victim never recovered from her injuries. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family whose lives were permanently altered nearly two years ago,” Staly said in a statement. “I applaud our entire team, including our Major Case Unit who investigated this difficult case. It is my hope he will spend a long time in prison for his actions that day and then trying to cover up his crime before getting the victim medical help.”
Deputies said prior to this, Hill was facing an attempted murder charge, but had been in jail since the shooting on March 26, 2021, for unrelated charges, including failing to appear in court on domestic violence charges and possession of marijuana, hashish and cocaine.
This comes nearly two years after investigators said they were called to a hotel in Palm Coast at 9:45 a.m. the day of the shooting for a report of a robbery. The victim had been shot in the head and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Investigators said Hill’s story of what happened kept on changing as they investigated the shooting.
Hill, who called 911 that day, previously told deputies a man who approached his car trying to buy weed shot his girlfriend.
“Every time we pointed out inconsistencies, he wouldn’t contrive another story,” Staly said. “What he didn’t know is we already had his digital footprint, which ultimately led us directly to the gun, he had tried to hide before he started seeking help for the victim.”
The sheriff said Hill had also called his mother prior to calling 911 to seek help for the victim.
Staly said Hill and the victim had a volatile relationship which included unreported incidents of domestic violence.
Investigators said that Hill has a long criminal history which includes 19 arrests — 14 in other states and five in Florida.
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