OSCEOLA COUNTY, FL – A jury found 56-year-old Kevin Walter Duda guilty of first-degree murder on January 29, 2026. Following the verdict, he was sentenced to life in prison.
The conviction stems from an incident on June 12, 2024, when deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an unresponsive man at the entrance to the Ponderosa RV park on Fortune Road. The victim, Nicholas Brank (born June 1, 1980), was transported to a hospital but died from his injuries.
Investigators identified Kevin Duda as a suspect, located him in the area, and arrested him. The suspect and victim knew each other and had been involved in a verbal argument the previous year.
A confrontation occurred when Duda obtained a handgun and encountered the victim. Brank was shot and killed; he was unarmed and unable to defend himself.
Through an intensive investigation by homicide detectives, evidence was gathered including video surveillance, a witness, and the murder weapon. Homicide Detective Benjamin Maclean and the entire homicide team contributed to the successful prosecution.
SOURCE: OSCEOLA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
