BRADENTON — A man accused of shooting into a mobile home and killing a 16-year-old boy faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading to weapons charges stemming from his arrest in the slaying.
Michael Heckerman, 23, pleaded no contest Monday to charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and carrying a concealed weapon as a convicted felon, according to Assistant State Attorney Brian Iten.
Heckerman also is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old James Holderness almost two years ago. Authorities say on Jan. 15, 2008, Heckerman opened fire on a mobile home in the Wilhelm Mobile Home Park, in the 6300 block of 14th Street West, hitting the teen.
More than a month after the shooting, as Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Heckerman on a murder warrant accusing him of killing Holderness, they found a loaded revolver and knife in his pants.
Iten is seeking the maximum of 30 years in prison on the weapons charges, he said Monday.
A judge will sentence Heckerman on the weapons charges Jan. 28, and he is scheduled for trial on the murder charge in May.
On the day of the shooting, Heckerman had gotten into an argument with an occupant of the mobile home over a previous burglary, sheriff’s office reports say.
About 11 p.m., just hours after the argument, bullets peppered the mobile home, one tearing through the wall and hitting James Holderness in the head while he played a video game. He later died at Bayfront Medical Center, in St. Petersburg.
Heckerman at first pinned the shooting on one of his friends, who was also present during the initial argument at the mobile home park. But detectives found Heckerman’s DNA on the handgun in his apartment that they believed had been used in the shooting, according to sheriff’s reports.
Detectives also charged Heckerman with murder after cell phone records showed he made several calls around the time of the shooting that routed through cell phone towers along the route from the mobile home park to Heckerman’s apartment.
A witness also came forward, saying Heckerman spoke of the shooting, saying “he had done the shooting, but he did not mean for anyone to get hurt,” the sheriff’s report said.
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