Vincent Keith Harris was sentenced to life in prison for Second Degree Murder with a Firearm and 5 years in prison for Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence after being convicted at trial. Following the trial, the defendant pled no contest to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on that charge.
Assistant State Attorney Kyle Bermingham and Hendry/Glades County Circuit Court Chief Assistant State Attorney Natalie Savino prosecuted the case.
In October 2022, the defendant shot and killed a co-worker outside of an inn in Hendry County. The victim and defendant, both from Texas, were in town working for a company doing property clean-up work following Hurricane Ian. There had been an argument between the victim and the defendant about loading equipment in the company vans. An altercation occurred and the defendant pulled out a 9mm gun and shot the victim.
The defendant then moved the victim, claiming he was going to take him to a hospital. Instead, the defendant left the scene, to change clothes and get a new pair of pants that did not have blood on them. He admitted throwing the gun out of the window after he left the crime scene.
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office investigated the murder. The Glades County Sheriff’s Office located the defendant as he tried to flee the area after the shooting.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director