He killed a man after an argument at a bar. Why he may go free in less than three years

WEST PALM BEACH — A 25-year-old man was sentenced to four years in prison this week after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the February 2023 shooting death of another man in Pahokee.

Sheldon Miles previously faced a first-degree murder charge after Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators alleged he shot a man early on the morning of Feb. 4, 2023, following a fight at a restaurant and bar. The victim was identified in court as Carl Martin, 28.

Instead, Miles pleaded to the lesser offense of manslaughter with a firearm during a hearing on Tuesday, May 21, before Circuit Judge Scott Suskauer. The judge credited Miles with one year and two months of time served in the Palm Beach County Jail, meaning that he is expected to be released from prison in less than three years.

When asked why the state's offer was for only four years, Assistant State Attorney Chrichet Mixon told the court many witnesses were reluctant to testify because of concern for their safety.

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One witness told sheriff's investigators Miles and Martin had argued on the evening prior to the shooting outside the Muck Tavern, a Pahokee restaurant near Lake Okeechobee that is less than a mile from the shooting scene.

Miles made a threat during the argument, telling Martin, "You're going to die tonight," according to PBSO accounts.

A second witness described hearing gunshots and seeing Miles run away a short time later. The witness said they learned of his identity when a friend showed the witness his Instagram page.

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Further investigation linked Miles to a BMW that a license-plate reader detected at State Road 80 and State Road 715 about 30 minutes after the homicide, the report said. Deputies estimated it to be about a 25-minute drive from the homicide scene to the license-plate reader's location.

Miles and the vehicle were tracked to an address in Orlando, where he was taken into custody at a relative's home.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Plea deal in fatal Pahokee shooting may soon set the gunman free