A 24-year-old Palm Bay man faces an upgraded charge of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a college football player killed during a May 11 confrontation in downtown Melbourne.
Stephan Dieujuste, who had claimed self-defense, was initially charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Nathanial Bernard Jennings, 19. After reviewing the security footage from a nearby business, along with phone video recordings, the State Attorney’s Office for Brevard County on June 3 announced the upgraded charge. If Dieujuste is convicted, he could face up to life in state prison.
Confrontation led to shooting death
The shooting, the 10th homicide reported in Brevard County in 2025, happened about 1:51 a.m. May 11, Mother’s Day.
Melbourne police were called to investigate reports of a disturbance in the area of Vernon Place and New Haven Avenue. Witnesses there told police that Dieujuste and Jennings were standing apart from each other during a verbal disagreement.
Dieujuste, who remained at the scene after the shooting, told police that Jennings had tried to start a fistfight with him. Police later that Dieujuste had been walking downtown and decided to go back to his car to get his gun a short time before getting into the confrontation with Jennings.
The state attorney’s office said Dieujuste could be seen on the video stepping back and firing his Glock handgun several times at Jennings, who, unarmed, was then seen running toward East New Haven Avenue before collapsing on the sidewalk. Several downtown patrons could also be seen on video fleeing the site as the gunfire erupted.
Jennings, a college freshman at West Liberty University.and a former football player for Heritage High School, was pronounced dead at Holmes Regional Medical Center.
The state attorney’s office planned to ask that Dieujuste’s bond be revoked and reset to a higher amount commensurate with the new charge, and that he be returned to the Brevard County Jail Complex.
J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. X, or Twitter: @JDGallop
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Prosecutors: Charge upgraded to murder for suspect in death of football player in Melbourne
Reporting by J.D. Gallop, Florida Today / Florida Today
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