According to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, both the suspect and the victim in this tragic incident were without stable housing. A witness reported seeing an altercation between two individuals shortly before the stabbing took place.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The tranquility of a Wednesday evening by the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier was shattered when a man fell victim to a deadly stabbing. Local law enforcement swiftly arrested the suspect, now facing charges of first-degree murder.
Police officers were dispatched to the pier just ahead of 10 p.m. following an emergency call reporting the violent incident. Eyewitnesses relayed their account of an earlier confrontation between two men beneath the pier. Upon returning to the scene, they found 38-year-old Stephen Beegle lying mortally wounded.
Upon arrival, the police discovered that Beegle had already succumbed to his injuries, which consisted of multiple stab wounds and severe lacerations.
Law enforcement officers located the suspect, Dennis Perry, aged 60, on a nearby boardwalk at 2nd Avenue North. With his hands and shoes stained with blood, Perry was promptly taken into custody.
During their investigation, officers used nearby surveillance cameras and a live cam from YouTube to determine Perry’s actions around the time of the stabbing.
According to the arrest report, he was seen grabbing what appeared to be a knife from his shorts before going under the pier at 9:26 p.m. A minute later, he exited, and was later seen going into the dunes.
Officers reported finding Perry’s backpack in the dunes, containing a large knife sheath, feet away from the knife believed to have been used to kill Beegle.
According to the report, both men were homeless.
We spoke with a witness who said he and others under the pier tried to break up the fight between the two.
“I mean, totally blew me away,” the man who did not want to be identified said. “It really did. I mean, cause that’s my friends and I just can’t believe that they would go to that extent.”
He says he was shocked to learn Perry is now in jail.
“Unfortunately, Perry, he should have never bought the knife,” he added. “It’s like a stupid thing that you just did in your life. Now you’re gonna go to prison for life.”
Business owners are also reacting. For Fernando Meza, owner of the Wreck Tiki Lounge, he says he doesn’t want people to avoid the beach because of this case.
“I always try to tell people the beach is still safe,” Meza said. “I mean, if you walk around the boardwalk right now nobody’s messing with you. There’s nobody pulling out guns, there’s nobody pulling out knives. It was just a random thing that happened.”
“It’s heartbreaking any time that life is taken. No matter what, it’s heartbreaking,” he added. “So I hope they get justice, and I know Jacksonville Beach PD will do their job.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information that could be helpful as the investigation continues is asked to contact Detective L. Lyon at 904-639-6288.