Victim tied up, interrogated in weekend murder, court records say

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Court papers released Monday paint a gruesome picture of a weekend murder.

Dusty McDonald was arrested Saturday in connection with the discovery of a body in the woods behind a North Monroe Street shopping plaza.

McDonald made his first appearance in court Monday and was denied bond.

Arrest papers released soon afterward say the victim’s body was found wrapped in a tarp. Witnesses described ongoing issues between him and McDonald and said the victim was “increasingly in fear for his life” and planned to defend himself with a cup of gasoline if McDonald tried to harm him again.

Court records say when deputies went to arrest McDonald he said, " Ya’ll know what happened down there. He tried to light me on fire.”

McDonald claimed the man had been “conspiring against him” and described tying him up, interrogating him, attacking him and ultimately killing him after he refused to “give him the information he was looking for,” court records say.