Volusia County deputies clear homeless camp after attempted murder last week | FOX 35 Orlando
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Volusia County deputies clear homeless camp after attempted murder last week

By and FOX 35 Digital Staff
Published  March 29, 2025 12:11am EDT
Volusia County
FOX 35 Orlando

Volusia County deputies work to clear homeless camp

Volusia Sheriff's Office deputies said a group of homeless people squatting on private wooded property have until next Friday to move out. Deputies said the group took over the woods off International Speedway Boulevard and Stone Street, and the camp was the site of an attempted murder last week.

The Brief

    • Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputies said a group of homeless people squatting on private wooded property have until next Friday to move out.
    • Deputies said the group took over the woods off International Speedway Boulevard and Stone Street near DeLand.
    • The clearing of the camp comes after an attempted murder at the site last week.

DELAND, Fla. - Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputies said a group of homeless people squatting on private wooded property near DeLand have until next Friday to move out.

The wooded area off International Speedway Boulevard and Stone Street is the site of an attempted murder that took place last week.

Attempted murderer attacks man, digs grave for him at homeless camp

The backstory:

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said they arrested 29-year-old Giovanni Bubenik for attempted murder last week.

Deputies say Bubenik allegedly attacked a man and dug him a grave in the DeLand-area homeless camp. Reports show the victim has regained consciousness but is believed to have significant long-term injury and memory loss.

Man arrested for attempted murder in Volusia County

Deputies said a Florida man has been arrested for attempted murder after he allegedly hit a man in the head multiple times and dug a grave for him in a homeless camp. Reports show the man that was attacked has regained consciousness but is believed to have significant long-term injury and memory loss.

The arrest happened just down the street from Rene Hernandez. 

He said he supports the sheriff’s efforts because he’s dealt with the issue firsthand.

"Sometimes, I see a couple people inside," Hernandez said. "But my cameras over there catch the people, and I say, 'Hey! Get out.'"

How many people are homeless in Volusia County?

By the numbers:

According to a report from the Florida Coalition for the Homeless, there are an estimated 31,462 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in Florida.

Homelessness is a growing problem in Volusia County, which, like many others in Central Florida, has limited shelter space.

State data shows 1,146 people were homeless in Volusia County last year. That’s nearly double the number from 2018, when it was 621.

It is, however, nowhere close to figures in the years following the Great Recession. Homelessness in Volusia County peaked in 2012 at nearly 2,276 people.

‘Camps in our communities’

What they're saying:

Eric Gray, a homeless advocate and shelter leader, warned that state laws pushing homeless people off of public property, combined with high housing costs, only underscores the dire need for more resources.

"If we’re not willing to invest the resources to do it, then we’ve got to be prepared to basically have camps in our communities," he said. "If we don’t want shelters in our backyard, we need to get prepared to have tents in our front yard."

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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting, as well as from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Coalition for the Homeless. FOX 35's Manny Martinez additionally completed interviews with local community members.

Volusia CountyDeLandCrime and Public SafetyHomeless Crisis