A Florida man has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder after authorities say he stabbed a woman he had never met in a Dollar General parking lot, killing her without any known motive.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, 36-year-old Cheyenne Kastens had been shopping at a Dollar General on the afternoon of November 14. Investigators say she was inside the store at the same time as 54-year-old Lemar Beasley, but the two never interacted and had no known connection or prior history.
Deputies said Kastens walked out to the parking lot and toward her vehicle when Beasley allegedly approached her and attacked without warning. He is accused of stabbing her multiple times with a knife, leaving her fatally wounded. Kastens died at the scene before first responders could save her.
Beasley fled immediately, prompting a search by deputies and detectives. Roughly twenty-four hours later, investigators located him inside a camper where he had been staying. He was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities say Beasley has an “extensive criminal history dating back to 1991” and is a registered sex offender. His background and the random nature of the attack have raised concerns among residents and officials, though detectives have not identified any motive and say nothing so far suggests Kastens was targeted for any reason beyond chance.
The sheriff’s office described the killing as a senseless act that had stunned the community. Kastens, who had been shopping alone, was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, investigators said. Beasley now faces a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. He remains in custody as the investigation continues and prosecutors prepare to move forward with the case.
The sheriff’s office said more information will be released as it becomes available, but emphasized that the evidence so far indicates a completely unprovoked and random act of violence. Community members have begun expressing condolences for Kastens’ family, and officials have urged the public to remain alert but assured residents that Beasley’s arrest has eliminated any continued threat linked to this incident.
The case has drawn widespread attention in the county, highlighting concerns about violent repeat offenders and renewing calls for stronger monitoring of individuals with long criminal histories.