A 36-year-old woman was fatally stabbed in what police describe as a completely random and unprovoked attack last month in the car park of a Dollar General store in Florida.
A Brutal and Unprovoked Assault
According to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Cheyenne Kastens was ambushed by Lemar Beasley, 54, in Fruitland Park, a town in Central Florida. The State Attorney's Office states that Beasley stabbed Kastens more than 40 times during the vicious assault.
Authorities confirm there is no evidence that Kastens knew her attacker or that the two had any interaction before the incident. Kastens was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead. Beasley fled the scene and was later found and apprehended inside a nearby camper.
A Killer's Violent History and Legal Repercussions
Court records reveal that Lemar Beasley is a convicted sex offender with a long history of violent crime. He was released from prison in July, having served just over four years for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
His criminal record includes convictions throughout the 1990s and early 2000s for:
- Burglary
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Armed robbery with a firearm
- Sexual battery
On December 1, a grand jury indicted Beasley for first-degree murder in the killing of Kastens. Subsequently, on December 18, prosecutors filed a motion stating their intent to seek the death penalty.
In a signed letter, Assistant State Attorney K. Mark Johnson wrote that the crime was "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel" and was committed "in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification."
A Life Remembered and a Family's Grief
Cheyenne Kastens has been remembered by her loved ones as a vibrant and caring individual. Her obituary described her as someone who "filled the world around her with light, humor, and an unmistakable spark that was entirely her own," and as "kind, intelligent, and genuine."
Her brother, Shawn Kastens, started a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs. He wrote that his sister worked on boats, loved animals, especially her cats, and was "fun-loving, kind, smart, and always ready with a joke to make someone smile."
"This loss has shattered our family," he added. "While the suspect is currently in custody, nothing can ease the pain of losing Cheyenne far too soon."
Putnam County Sheriff H.D. 'Gator' DeLoach offered his condolences, stating: "No words can bring back the irreparable harm to Ms. Kastens' family and friends caused at the hands of a stone-cold killer. However, I hope they can take solace in knowing the intent to hold Lemar Beasley accountable for his actions."
