Man sentenced after victim found dead at Florida wildlife refuge

WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) -- A 69-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for fatally shooting a man at a wildlife refuge several years ago.

The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office announced that a judge sentenced Stuart Mauney on July 10 to life in prison. He was previously convicted in May of second-degree murder.

According to prosecutors, on the afternoon of Dec. 12, 2021, an individual found a deceased man on a dirt portion of a road near the entrance to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and alerted law enforcement. Responding deputies discovered the victim and two large standard poodles running loose.

Investigators determined the victim died from gunshot wounds, and they collected evidence from the scene, including tire and shoe impressions, the victim’s cellphone, and shell casings.

Authorities discovered a photograph of the defendant’s license plate on the victim’s phone that was taken on the day of the incident.

According to the sheriff's office, investigators spoke with a hunter who reportedly saw a man walking two large poodles in the refuge that day. The hunter allegedly observed the defendant and the victim at the Purify Bay Road kiosk shortly before the fatal shooting. Authorities said the witness identified the two men in photographic lineups and claimed Mauney arrived in a red Ford F-150 and approached the kiosk before the hunter left.

Officials executed a search warrant at Mauney’s home and reportedly recovered his vehicle, cellphone, and shoes with tread marks consistent with those at the crime scene. They also discovered a photo on the defendant’s phone showing a box of ammunition that matched the spent casings.

A crime lab tested the tire and shoe impressions from the scene and confirmed on Feb. 16, 2022, that they matched Mauney’s truck. Mauney was arrested two days later and charged with second-degree murder.

MORE: