SANTA ROSA COUNTY

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sheriff Wendell Hall

Suspicious Death Ruled Suicide: Investigation Closed

Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office investigators and the Office of the Medical Examiner have finished their investigation into a suspicious death that occurred in Gulf Breeze last week. Investigators, along with Dr. Minyard (Office of the Medical Examiner) have concluded that Charles Scott Boylan died of a self inflicted gun shot wound to the chest. All interviews, evidence, and circumstances support that there was no foul play involved in the death of Boylan.

Home Owner at Death Scene Arrested for Tampering With Evidence

The investigation into the death of Charles Scott Boylan is still ongoing. Boylan was found yesterday by a mail delivery person laying in the front yard of a residence on Balogh Drive in Gulf Breeze. The mail delivery person then contacted authorities. It was confirmed that Boylan was deceased from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Boylan did not live at the residence that this occurred. The residence belongs to William Donald Hutson (W/M, 43 years old). When deputies arrived at the death scene, they contacted Hutson who was inside the home. Investigators noticed that there was no firearm lying near the victim at the scene. Hutson was taken and interviewed by investigators at which time he revealed the following. Hutson told deputies that on 4/01/08, at approximately 1330 hours, he walked out to the front yard on Balogh Drive and discovered Boylan laying face down and unresponsive. Hutson stated that a shotgun was lying in close proximity to the victim. Hutson called out to Boylan and received no response. Hutson told investigators that he then took custody of the shotgun and took it inside his residence. Hutson also stated that he then laid down on his living room couch and went to sleep, leaving Boylan in the front yard and not calling authorities. Hutson told investigators that the shotgun belonged to him. It is unclear as to why Hutson failed to contact authorities, which allowed 2 ½ hours to pass prior to the discovery of the victim by the mail delivery person. Due to these circumstances, Hutson was arrested for felony Tampering with Evidence and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail. He was originally booked with a $5000.00 bond, but the judge reduced his bond to Pre-Trial Release with active GPS monitoring. Hutson was released from the jail on 4/02/08.

An autopsy was conducted on 4/02/08 and the final results have not yet been disclosed by the medical examiners office. The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time. More information will be released as it becomes available. A photograph of Hutson is attached to this email.

Sheriff's Office Investigators Currently On Scene of Suspicious Death in Gulf Breeze

On 4/01/2008 , shortly before 1600 hours, Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to 1643 Balogh Drive , Gulf Breeze, Florida in reference to a deceased subject that was found dead laying in the front yard of a residence. A mail delivery person discovered the body in the front yard while making his delivery. Emergency personnel were then dispatched to the location. When deputies arrived, they located a white male subject laying face down in the front yard. IT was later determined that the subject died from an obvious gunshot wound. The victim's name is not being identified at this time pending the notification of the next of kin. Investigators are considering this a suspicious death and are investigating it accordingly. No further information is available at this time. Further information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

Press Release By:

Sgt. Scott Haines

Media Relations Unit

(850) 981-2136 or shaines@srso.net