Brevard Grand Jury Issues Murder Indictments In Two Cases
By Space Coast Daily // November 19, 2014
first appearance before judge set Thursday
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Brevard County Grand Jury issued a first-degree murder indictments on Wednesday in two separate cases.
In the first case, Lance Berning, 45, of Leesburg was indicted on one count each of first-degree felony murder and kidnapping in connection with the death of Jennifer Hedges in October.
Hedges’ body was found in the Indian River near Titusville. Berning has been held in the Brevard County jail without bond since his arrest Oct. 17, said Assistant State Attorney Michael Hunt.
The Grand Jury heard from the Brevard County Medical Examiner, a Brevard County sheriff’s agent and a crime scene investigator, and one lay witness.
In the second case, 25-year-old Joseph Milman of Satellite Beach and a 17-year-old Indialantic teen, were both indicted on first-degree felony murder, attempted first-degree felony murder while causing great bodily harm, and home-invasion robbery while causing great bodily harm or death for the Oct. 19 death of Scott Wade Hyatt in Indialantic.
The teen, who was arrested as a juvenile, was indicted as an adult.
Assistant State Attorney Hunt said Milman faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They were both arrested October 22.
Testifying before the Grand Jury in that case were a Brevard County sheriff’s agent and two crime scene investigators, and a lay witness, Hunt said.
Hunt said all three suspects are scheduled to go before the first appearance judge on Thursday at the Brevard County Jail. The teen suspect will have been transferred from the juvenile detention facility by then, he said.
