BREVARD COUNTY, Fla.,None — New information is forcing prosecutors to reduce the charges in a Brevard County murder that happened nearly four years ago, according to officials.
Steven Barton is accused of running Warren Logue over at the dock that Logue owned in September of 2007. WFTV learned that the suspect is now claiming it was self-defense.
Warren Logue had been protecting his dock from thieves and vandals. On the night he was killed, Logue apparently came out to the dock with an axe handle, which he may have swung at his killer, said police.
Daniel Dehaven said he kept his friend's deadly secret for nearly three years, but finally came clean when Brevard County sheriff's deputies visited him in a New Jersey jail.
Dehaven said he and his friend, Steven Barton, went to a strip club in September of 2007. On their way home, Barton said he wanted to find a casting net in a boat house along the river and steal it.
"The night before, he had broke his father's and he wanted to replace it," said Dehaven.
The next morning, Dehaven said he saw Barton's truck with the windshield shattered and asked what happened. Barton confided that while he was out looking for a net to steal, he was confronted by Logue.
Officials said Logue started swinging at Barton with an axe, and in his attempt to get away Barton ran Logue over.
Police said Barton even got out of his SUV, detached clothing caught on the SUV and left Warren Logue to die.
"He could hear the guy saying, 'I'm dying, help me, help me,' and he said he drove off," said police.
Barton's truck was found in Ohio. Small pieces of broken glass were found around the windshield, blood was detected near the rear axle, police said.
Barton pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges and leaving the scene of a deadly crash, according to police. Barton remains locked up in the Brevard County jail. His trial date has not yet been set.
WFTV
