Heir Sentenced to Life in Prison for Ax Murder of Friend

Matthew Weldon, 39, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the May 2024 murder of his friend, Carroll Edwin Bryan Jr., 49. A judge on Friday labeled Weldon an "ax murderer" after he was found guilty of first-degree murder earlier this month.

Prosecutors argued that Weldon attacked Bryan from behind with an ax as Bryan sat on the patio of Weldon's $1 million home in Palm Harbor, Florida. Weldon then continued to strike Bryan after he fell to the ground. Weldon subsequently went to a neighbor's backyard and stated, "He's dead," and "I killed him."

Weldon claimed self-defense during his trial, asserting that Bryan had attacked him with a knife after becoming angry because Weldon had contacted the police about him. Weldon and Bryan had met only two weeks prior to the incident.

On the day of the murder, May 21, 2024, a neighbor reported hearing Weldon and Bryan arguing. Shortly after, the neighbor observed Weldon power washing the patio area. Approximately one hour later, Weldon approached the neighbor and admitted to the killing, stating the victim "came at me."

When a sheriff's sergeant arrived at the scene, Weldon was found sitting on the driveway with blood-stained pants. The body of Bryan was discovered on the back patio with significant head and neck injuries. A kitchen knife was found near his body, and an ax was lodged in his abdomen.

Surveillance footage from Weldon's home showed Bryan arriving in a friendly manner earlier that day. Later footage captured a "shoving match" between the two, followed by Weldon carrying an ax and then power washing the area where the murder occurred. The footage did not capture the act of violence itself.

An autopsy revealed that Bryan died from blunt and sharp-force injuries, including multiple "chop" wounds to his head and neck. Testimony from a detective suggested the blood spatter patterns indicated Bryan was seated when attacked from behind, and that puncture wounds on Weldon's legs appeared to be self-inflicted.

Bryan's daughter, Sapphire, delivered a statement during the sentencing, describing her father as a loving father, artist, and comedian. She noted that her father had a history of mental health issues and had previously served a prison sentence for second-degree murder, having shot and killed another man in 2017.