Brevard Man Gets 50-Year Sentence for 2020 Murder of Former Cocoa Councilman

Matthew Lane Inklebarger, 47, initially faced the death penalty

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A Brevard County man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the 2020 stabbing death of former Cocoa City Council member and longtime educator Jim Wallen, a beloved figure in the Cocoa community.

Matthew Lane Inklebarger, 47, received the sentence during a Nov. 17 hearing after pleading guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement. He had initially faced the death penalty on charges including first-degree murder and armed burglary.

Wallen, 75, was found fatally stabbed inside his Manor Drive home on Aug. 21, 2020. His wife discovered him after returning home to find shattered glass and her husband slumped on the floor. Investigators later determined he had been stabbed multiple times in the neck and abdomen.

During the sentencing, Wallen’s widow, Lucinda Wallen, delivered an emotional victim-impact statement describing the devastation of losing her husband of 53 years. “Jim was not only my husband but my best friend,” her statement said. “Every day feels emptier. Murder doesn’t just take a life, it shatters many.”

Inklebarger briefly addressed the court, admitting he broke into the Wallen home and got into a struggle with Wallen before the stabbing. Asked by the judge how many times he stabbed the victim, he responded, “I don’t remember,” adding, “I know that sorry doesn’t mean anything.”

Wallen, a retired teacher with 37 years of service and a dedicated volunteer, served two terms on the Cocoa City Council from 1979–81 and 1983–86. A park near his home was renamed in his honor in 2021.

Inklebarger, who has been held without bond since his arrest, was returned to custody after the sentencing. He has 30 days to appeal.

Similar Stories