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FRUITLAND, Fla. (DailyKenn.com) — A registered sex offender faces first-degree murder charges after the apparently random fatal stabbing of a 36-year-old woman outside a rural Dollar General store, shattering a tight-knit Putnam County community and prompting a frantic manhunt, authorities said.
Cheyenne Kastens, a Georgetown resident known for her infectious humor and love of boating, was shopping alone at the Fruitland store on Nov. 14 when the attack unfolded shortly after 3:45 p.m. Surveillance footage and witness statements indicate Kastens and the suspect, Lemar Beasley, 54, of nearby Crescent City, were both inside the store earlier that afternoon but had no interaction. As Kastens approached her car in the parking lot, Beasley allegedly followed and stabbed her multiple times with a knife, authorities said. Bystanders discovered her unresponsive and bleeding heavily, immediately calling 911. Responding deputies from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office performed CPR at the scene before rushing her to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
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Beasley fled on foot immediately after the assault, discarding clothing along the way and triggering a 24-hour manhunt involving multiple agencies, including the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Residents in the area were urged to shelter in place as search teams scoured woods and waterways. The following afternoon, investigators located Beasley hiding in a camper on Huntington Shortcut Road, where they recovered the suspected murder weapon and other evidence linking him to the crime. No motive has been established, and officials described the attack as unprovoked, with no prior connection between the two.
Witnesses inside the store later told deputies they saw Beasley acting erratically but could not have anticipated the violence. "He just seemed off, but nobody thought he'd do something like this," one shopper recounted. Authorities are now appealing for information from two potential young witnesses—a pre-teen boy and a white male aged 14 to 16—who were spotted in the parking lot around the time of the stabbing and may live within walking distance of the store. The boys, or their guardians, are asked to contact Sgt. Ryan Owens at the sheriff's office.
Beasley, who has an extensive criminal record dating to 1991 and was released from prison in July after serving time for failing to register as a sex offender, was booked on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder—a capital felony carrying a possible death penalty. He remains in the Putnam County Jail without bond.
The slaying has left Kastens' family and friends reeling. Described by loved ones as a "one-of-a-kind" soul who lit up rooms with her jokes, adored her cats and cherished time with friends on the water, Kastens was "just going about her day," her brother Shawn said in an online fundraiser seeking donations for funeral and cremation costs. The GoFundMe has drawn hundreds of contributions, reflecting an outpouring of grief from the South Putnam area. "This loss has shattered our family," the page reads. Friends posted tributes online, calling her a "gentle, warmhearted" presence whose absence leaves a void.
Sheriff H.D. "Gator" DeLoach, visibly emotional at a news conference, vowed justice. "Our prayers go to Cheyenne's family and this community," he said. "I promise we'll make sure this monster spends the rest of his life in a cell, where he belongs. No one should lose their life for simply living theirs."
The incident has heightened safety concerns in the rural enclave, with locals organizing vigils and discussions on community watch programs. As the investigation continues, deputies urge anyone with information to come forward.
Putnam County deputies arrest suspect in deadly Dollar General stabbing https://www.wcjb.com/2025/11/17/putnam-county-deputies-arrest-suspect-deadly-dollar-general-stabbing/
Florida man accused of stabbing woman to death outside Dollar General is a convicted sex offender https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-man-accused-stabbing-woman-death-outside-dollar-general-is-convicted-sex-offender
Putnam County Sheriff's Office identifies woman killed in stabbing at Dollar General https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/swat-law-enforcement-dollar-general-putnam-county/77-a7b00d81-6ac2-46c5-9372-f2fc5ccd4995
Beloved Putnam County woman randomly slain outside supermarket: 'Just going about her day' https://sjcitizen.com/beloved-putnam-county-woman-randomly-murdered-outside-supermarket-just-going-about-her-day/
Deputies search for witnesses to deadly Dollar General stabbing in Putnam County https://www.wcjb.com/2025/11/21/deputies-search-witnesses-deadly-dollar-general-stabbing-putam-county/
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