Boy murdered by brother aspired to be Eagle Scout, uncle says

‘Troubled’ teen accused of murder and his father remain hospitalized

ISLAMORADA, Fla. – Pascal-Rene Zue Weisberger, 14, was an aspiring Eagle Scout. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of Troop 912 of Tavernier. He spoke at a city council meeting about climate change and volunteered for the Upper Keys Humane Society for years.

Pascal-Rene also volunteered at the Burton Memorial United Methodist Church’s God’s Kitchen. He challenged himself to earn his badges and to prove his environmental stewardship. He and his friends regularly picked up garbage in the mangroves and planted trees.

“I like camping and outdoors a lot more. I can do more than I thought I could,” Pascal-Rene said last year during an interview with the Florida Keys Weekly.

Zachary James, his paternal uncle, said the Boy Scouts will be honoring him posthumously with the Eagle Scout rank. The Humane Society will be renaming the lobby of their Key Largo facility after him. They will be placing a plaque to honor his five years of service there.

James said his family was still trying to understand why Daniel Weisberger, 17, decided to murder his brother Pascal-Rene and wound his father Ariel “Ari” Jacob Poholek, also the scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts of Troop 912 of Tavernier.

James said Daniel and Poholek remained hospitalized on Friday night. Daniel was airlifted Thursday night to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center after he jumped in front of a moving vehicle about 7 p.m. in Islamorada.

Weisberger was on the run for most of Thursday. Poholek ran out of the home bleeding to ask his neighbors for help before 6 a.m. at the Executive Club townhomes, near Mile Marker 87.2.

Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said deputies found Pascal-Rene dead and learned Daniel had also held his father hostage.

Ramsay also said Daniel is no stranger to the juvenile system. James described him as a “troubled kid” who “has been in and out of the system for a while.”

Local 10 News’ Michelle Solomon contributed to this report.


About the Authors
Liane Morejon headshot

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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