On January 29, 2026, Kevin Walter Duda, age 56, was found guilty of first-degree murder in Osceola County. He received a life sentence after being convicted for the killing of Nicholas Brank.
The case began on June 12, 2024, when deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to The Ponderosa RV entrance on Fortune Road following reports of an unresponsive man. The victim, Nicholas Brank, born June 1, 1980, was transported to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Authorities identified Duda as a suspect and arrested him nearby. Investigators learned that Duda and Brank knew each other and had been involved in a verbal dispute the previous year. According to the investigation, Duda confronted Brank with a handgun. Brank was unarmed at the time of the shooting and unable to defend himself.
Homicide detectives collected video surveillance footage and located both a witness and the murder weapon during their investigation.
“The great work of homicide detective Benjamin Maclean as well as the entire homicide team led to a successful prosecution of Mr. Duda,” stated officials from the sheriff’s office.
