‘Stole my life from me.’ Victim’s family speaks out in Manatee murder sentencing
A Palmetto man is headed to prison for more than a decade after he shot a man to death at a homeless camp.
A Manatee County judge sentenced 30-year-old Eric Lee Pompey Jr. to 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation on Wednesday after he previously pleaded guilty in January to second-degree murder with a firearm in the death of 34-year-old Kiefer Coxwell Sr.
Circuit Judge Teri K. Dees also ordered Pompey to pay more than $22,000 in restitution as part of his sentence, along with $200 to the Palmetto Police Department and other court costs.
As part of his probation, Pompey cannot contact Coxwell’s family and must make his best effort to maintain employment, Dees said.
Palmetto murder victim’s family speaks out
During Wednesday’s hearing, the victim’s mother, Melissa Coxwell, described the devastating toll the killing has taken on her family.
“The defendant stole my life from me. He has ripped the very soul out of my body. I’m numb. I’m cold. I’m all but dead on the inside,” Melissa Coxwell said.
She remembered her son as a fearless child who loved fishing and the outdoors and said he was a loving father to his children.
Melissa Coxwell said Kiefer Coxwell’s daughters will grow up without their father there to protect them, walk them down the aisle or share in future milestones. She also noted that the children had already lost their mother in a separate homicide case, leaving them without either parent.
Pompey apologized at Wednesday’s hearing, telling Kiefer Coxwell’s family that he was “truly, truly sorry” and adding that he was “remorseful and regretful for the entirety of the situation.”
Melissa Coxwell said that while Pompey will be able to move on with his life after he serves his 15 years, he has given her family “a life sentence with no parole.”
Palmetto man sentenced to 15 years in murder case
Palmetto detectives say Kiefer Coxwell, who was also known as “Boots,” was found dead March 15, 2023, inside a makeshift shelter at a wooded homeless camp near the 2000 block of U.S. 301 in Palmetto.
Detectives determined Kiefer Coxwell had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and recovered several 9 mm shell casings near his body.
Investigators say they identified Pompey, who lived at a separate homeless camp within walking distance, as the primary suspect through witness statements, surveillance footage and evidence recovered from his phone.
Detectives said Pompey sent a text message earlier that day saying he needed to “go handle something.” Investigators also reported finding a screenshot of an unsent message warning another person to stay away from Coxwell because he would “hate for him to get caught in the middle of live rounds.”
Detectives wrote in an arrest report that they believed Pompey sent the screenshot instead of the message itself to avoid certain words appearing in a text search.
Witnesses later told detectives Pompey left camp the night of the shooting saying he needed to “go take care of something,” according to police.
According to an arrest report, surveillance footage from a nearby business showed Pompey being dropped off near his camp at 7:47 p.m. on March 14, 2023. Video footage later showed a person walking east toward Kiefer Coxwell’s camp around that time.
Around 8 p.m., witnesses, including an employee at a nearby tow yard, reported hearing about a dozen gunshots coming from the direction of Kiefer Coxwell’s camp, investigators said.
Pompey returned to camp and threatened to kill anyone who spoke to law enforcement about the shooting, according to an arrest report.
Detectives said ballistics evidence suggested the shots were fired from a newer generation 9 mm Glock. The murder weapon was not recovered, but police said photos on Pompey’s phone showed him holding a Glock Model 45 that witnesses said he owned.
Pompey told investigators that Kiefer Coxwell had stolen from him in the past, according to the report. A witness also told detectives there may have been a romantic relationship between Pompey and the woman who reported Kiefer Coxwell’s death.
Investigators concluded Pompey acted alone and arrested him a little more than a week after the shooting.
Pompey entered into the negotiated plea on Jan. 26, the morning his jury trial was scheduled to begin in Manatee County. He faced up to life in prison on the second-degree murder charge.
