SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. — Three people were arrested Friday in connection with an attack that left a Satellite Beach teenager in a coma Thursday morning.
Investigators with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office identified the suspects as Dylan Thomas, 17, and Jessie Umberger, 18, both of Satellite Beach, and Rebecca Gotay, 18, of Indialantic.
Each suspect is being held without bond on charges that include attempted first-degree premeditated murder.
Authorities said they believe the attack on Daniel Vukovich, 17, was in retaliation for the theft of marijuana and paraphernalia that belonged to Thomas and Umberger.
Investigators said the suspects believed Vukovich was responsible for the theft, so they planned for several weeks to kill him.
Investigators said they learned of the potential motive on social media.
The plan was to use Gotay's vehicle to drive to Vukovich's home on Glenwood Drive, where Thomas was to attack the victim with a crowbar and kill him, authorities said.
The attack on Vukovich happened about 7 a.m. Thursday as he was going to his vehicle to leave for school. Authorities said he never saw the attack coming.
"It was a very violent, very vicious attack," said Tod Goodyear, of the Sheriff's Office. (He) is very lucky that he's surviving and the prognoses, we're told, is that he will survive the injuries."
Earlier reports that said Vukovich might have been shot were erroneous, according to investigators.
Vukovich remains in a hospital in critical condition.
WFTV
