Photos for Headline Surfer / ABOVE: Volusia County sheriff's deputies apprehended Giovanni Bubenik, 29, in DeLand, on a felony charge of attempted murder in the violent attack on a man near a homeless camp. Assisting in the arrest was VCSO k-9 Red. LEFT: Screenshot of K-9 Red getting ready to charge. BELOW: Another screenshot of Red and a multimedia video showing the suspect's apprehension in DeLand, Florida, on Friday, March 21, 2025.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DELAND, Fla. On Friday evening, deputies arrested Giovanni Bubenik, 29, on a charge of attempted first-degree murder after having struck the victim in the back of the head and digging a grave for him in the woods, a Volusia sheriff's spokesman said.
Since last Saturday, detectives have been investigating an attack in a DeLand-area transient camp that left the victim hospitalized in critical condition.
Here's a synopsis of what happened, according to the VCSO: After a thorough investigation, Bubenik was identified as the suspect who struck the victim in the back of the head multiple times and dug a grave for him at the camp in the woods off International Speedway Boulevard and Stone Street, DeLand. Deputies tracked Bubenik down, hiding at 147 Evergreen Terrace, on Friday and took him into custody with the help of K-9 Red.
Here's a synopsis of what happened, according to the VCSO: After a thorough investigation, Bubenik was identified as the suspect who struck the victim in the back of the head multiple times and dug a grave for him at the camp in the woods off International Speedway Boulevard and Stone Street, DeLand. Deputies tracked Bubenik down, hiding at 147 Evergreen Terrace, on Friday and took him into custody with the help of K-9 Red (shown in inset).
The victim has since regained consciousness but is believed to have significant long-term injury and memory loss, the agency spokesman said.
A restraining order was granted to prosecutors at Giovanni Bubenik's first appearance in court, barring him from having any contact directly or indirectly with the victim until or unless the court says otherwise.
Bubenik remains incarcerated on $1,500 bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.
Multimedia video
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