Vero Beach man Walter Bainter charged in murder of 67-year-old man Walter Richmond Hobson II

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — Vero Beach resident Walter Bainter is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 67-year-old man at his home in the Vero Beach Highlands on Jan. 7, sheriff’s officials said.

Bainter, 36, of the 2100 block of Sunrise Drive Southwest, is accused of the premeditated killing of Walter Richmond Hobson II in the 600 block of 23rd Place Southwest. In addition, Bainter is charged with robbery with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a motor vehicle and grand theft of a firearm, according to arrest reports.

Bainter was arrested Thursday on warrants. He was already in the Indian River County Jail without bail, previously arrested on charges of sale of cocaine.

Bainter has served time in jail before, including for loitering and prowling in 2010 and for cocaine possession in 2008.

Family members discovered Hobson had been killed when they visited his home about noon on Jan. 8, Sheriff Deryl Loar said at the time.

Soon after the county’s first homicide in 2012, investigators labeled Bainter ‘a person of interest’ in the killing.

While Hobson’s death was the first homicide of the year in Indian River, his killing is the fifth homicide in the last four months.

Suspects have been charged in three of the cases, but detectives are still investigating the death of 21-year-old Douglas Frasier Jr., whose remains were found Dec. 7 behind a foreclosed home in the 4800 block of 61st Court. Frasier’s head had become separated from his body, likely because of decomposition, the Sheriff’s Office said. Investigators said the body had been behind the home a couple of weeks.