Derrick Lenard Foster, a 45-year-old African American man, was found dead on January 15, 2015, in West Palm Beach, Florida. His body was discovered near the corner of 54th Street and Greenwood Avenue, close to St. Mary's Medical Center. Foster had suffered two gunshot wounds to the head, leading to his untimely death. The initial investigation by the West Palm Beach police revealed that the actual homicide likely occurred in Riviera Beach, prompting the transfer of the case to the Riviera Beach
Police Department (RBPD) in 2017.
The investigation into Foster's death faced significant delays and negligence. It was reported that the case sat on a desk at the RBPD for five years without any action being taken. This lack of progress led to disciplinary actions against four RBPD officers, including Major Travis Walker, Major Nathan Gordon, Officer Brooke Weiner, and Officer Worrell Ramsay, who were found to have violated policy and neglected their duty.
In December 2023, nearly a decade after the murder, a breakthrough occurred when Anthony Lewis Brownlee, a 57-year-old man from Riviera Beach, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. Brownlee was linked to the crime through DNA evidence found on Foster's clothing and in Brownlee's vehicle. Witnesses reported that Brownlee and Foster knew each other and were involved in drug-related activities together.
On the night of the murder, Brownlee claimed that Foster had contacted him for a ride to conduct a drug transaction. They drove to George Street Park in Riviera Beach, but when the person they were supposed to meet did not show up, they went to another location. Brownlee described seeing a Nissan Altima with its lights flashing, and after stepping out of his vehicle, he heard gunfire. He returned to find Foster wounded and the Nissan speeding away. In a state of panic, Brownlee dumped Foster's body on the street and fled the scene.
Brownlee initially denied any involvement in Foster's death but later agreed to talk to investigators after being confronted with the DNA evidence. He remains in custody, awaiting trial, with a public defender assigned to his case. The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office has not commented on the ongoing case.
