MELBOURNE, Fla. – A 26-year-old was arrested Thursday in the killing of a man who was found dead last month inside a Melbourne home, according to police.
Chase Michael Willson Smith is accused of killing Kenneth Johnson, 32, who was found on Feb. 24 inside his home on McDermott Avenue.
Smith faces charges of first-degree premeditated murder and grand theft.
He is booked in the Brevard County jail.
No other details, including how the victim was killed, have been released.
Johnson’s mother, Carrie Johnson, told News 6 reporter James Sparvero her son worked in construction. She said Johnson and Smith were childhood friends, and when Smith needed a place to stay, Johnson let Smith live with him.
Johnson said her son lived at the house his whole life.
Next-door neighbor Jeremiah Vicente felt relieved to learn police made an arrest nearly two weeks after finding Johnson’s body.
“I feel a lot better knowing that it’s not a mystery and that the community, itself, isn’t in danger,” Vicente said. “It’s still heartbreaking to hear that the family, they lost somebody right next door, but it does feel better that the police found somebody and at least, we can get some answers and feel safer.”
Vicente said the murder stopped neighbors from coming outside.
“It turned the street into a ghost town,” he said. “I remember the kids riding their bikes and playing, and then as soon as this happened, this was a ghost town.”
Smith will face a judge on his first-degree murder charge on Friday.
Police could also release his arrest affidavit Friday, which would state how Johnson died.
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