4th Man Charged In Fatal Beating
Craig Cohen Dies After Oakland Park Attack
POSTED: Thursday, November 19, 2009
UPDATED: 3:45 pm EST November 19,
2009
WILTON MANORS, Fla. -- A fourth suspect has been charged in connection with the fatal beating of a man as he walked home from an Oakland Park diner in April.
Craig Cohen, 47, died Oct. 7 after spending months in a hospice. According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, Cohen never regained consciousness after the April 6 beating.
According to police, Cohen was walking home from a meal at the Peter Pan Diner at about 1:20 a.m. when four men attacked him, stole his cell phone, beat him, stomped his head into the ground and left him bleeding on the sidewalk.
A few minutes later, police said, a second victim, 27-year-old David Villanova also was attacked, beaten and robbed of his wallet. Villanova suffered a fractured skull.
Four men have been charged in connection with the attacks. Most recently, 19-year-old Brandon Edwards, of Fort Lauderdale, was arrested on Oct. 26,
accused of beating and harassing a homeless man and videotaping the attack. Also charged in the Cohen beating are 18-year-old Chad Olah, 21-year-old Victor Gonzalez and 25-year-old Pargu Leandro.
BSO investigators said they believe the four attackers were drinking and smoking pot at a house near the scene of the attack on Cohen when they talked about how it would be fun to rob and beat up someone. An anonymous tip led police to the suspects.
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