ALLANTON — Authorities have arrested two juveniles who fled a party after allegedly assisting in an attack on one man while another was beaten to death, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.
Officials said several young people fled the party in the woods off Old Allanton Road early last Saturday morning after violence broke out between four partiers and three men who showed up uninvited on four-wheelers. An argument ensued and a fight led to the death of 48-year-old Jackie McClendon. Two adults were arrested shortly after the incident, and two juveniles have since been arrested, BCSO reported.
Officials said they do not expect any further arrests.
--- TWO CHARGED IN MURDER ---
Investigators announced Thursday the arrests of 17-year-olds John L. Belosic, of Panama City, and Matthew A. Oberly, of Southport. Belosic and Oberly have been charged with aggravated battery for allegedly attacking one of the other adults.
Jay Green, 21, of Youngstown, Chad Mercer, 18, of Panama City, were previously arrested on murder charges.
The four young men and several other young people were partying in the woods when McClendon and two other men showed up on four-wheelers, according to BCSO.
An argument between the younger group and the older men escalated into a fight, and Green knocked McClendon unconscious, BCSO said. While McClendon was on the ground, Mercer kicked him in the face, according to arrest records.
McClendon was later pronounced dead.
At the same time, Belosic and Oberly were engaged in a fight with another one of the men, BCSO reported.
The other two men’s identities have not been released.
--- TWO CHARGED IN MURDER ---
The four young men and several others fled after the fight. BCSO investigators identified Mercer and Green as suspects, and Green was arrested in a traffic stop. Mercer turned himself in after learning he was wanted.
Court records indicate Mercer had no previous recorded arrests for violence. Green violated a three-year probation on a grand theft charge from December 2011 by being arrested after Saturday’s incident.
Both men are being held without bond in Bay County Jail on open counts of murder, BCSO reported.