A 47-year-old Arizona man was recently convicted in the killing of a Phelan man who was beaten, tied up, had duct taped placed over his mouth, and was ultimately strangled and buried in the desert, authorities said Thursday.
A jury on May 11 found Dale Brewster guilty of first-degree murder in the 2015 death of 39-year-old Allan Godfrey Jr., the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Godfrey had lived in a trailer on Brewster’s property in Phelan, officials said. On the morning of May 11, when Godfrey was not at home, his former business partner came to the property to serve the victim on a small claims case.
The partner instead talked to Brewster, who “listened to all the negative things the woman had to say about the victim,” the DA’s statement read.
Brewster texted Godfrey and told him to come home. At 2 p.m., Godfrey texted back and said he was home.
“The victim’s phone went offline shortly after and he was never heard from again,” said Major Crimes Deputy District Attorney Justin Crocker in the statement.
Brewster beat Godfrey, tied him up and put duct tape on his mouth, then strangled him and buried him in the desert 14 miles away, Crocker said.
Godfrey’s body was found eight months later.
Brewster’s cellphone records showed that on the night Godfrey went missing, Brewster had gone to the remote area where the victim was found buried, officials said.
Brewster had a prior conviction for assault with a firearm, the DA’s office said, an allegation found true by the jury.
He faces 55 years to life at his sentencing, scheduled for June 22 at Victorville Superior Court.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Godfrey as the property owner and Brewster as the person living in the trailer. In fact, it was the other way around, according to the DA’s office. Also, it was Brewster’s cellphone records that indicated he had gone to the area where Godfrey’s body was found, not the victim’s records. The story has been updated.