TAUNTON - A 31-year-old Florida man was murdered in a Bay Street apartment last night, and authorities are searching for his killer.

Taunton police received a call from staff members at Morton Hospital around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday to report that a deceased man had been driven to the hospital. Doctors at the hospital said the victim was dead on arrival.

The victim has been identified by Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter's office as Chad Fleming of Deerfield Beach.

Preliminary investigation has revealed Fleming was apparently beaten to death in or around 584 Bay St. in Taunton, Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for Sutter, said.

Although no arrests have made for the homicide at this time, Nelson Melo, 22, of 584 Bay St., has been charged with witness intimidation in connection to the homicide and will be arraigned today in Taunton District Court, Miliote said. Miliote said the DA's office will have no further information on the case today unless an arrest is made.