BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – In what was the most recent of three murder investigations in the Compound, Palm Bay Police said Robert Lanning and Rene Lemos blamed each other for killing Nick Mitchell.
A plea hearing on Monday didn’t provide more details about what really happened, but News 6 did learn just how long Lemos could be going to prison.
Judge Aaron Peacock could now send her to the Department of Corrections for up to 18 years.
“It sounds like what you wish to do is enter a plea of no contest to the amended charge, which is accessory-after-the-fact to a capital felony with the cap of 18 years in prison,” the judge addressed the defendant. “Is that what you’d like to do today?”
“Correct,” Lemos answered.
Last September, Nick Mitchell’s roommate told News 6 reporter James Sparvero how the 30-year-old got hurt at work, so he had to wear a heart monitor.
Police said that the heart monitor pinged the location of Mitchell’s body after he was shot.
Police also said Lanning and Lemos met Mitchell at the Circle K on Malabar Road, and Mitchell wanted to sell them his car and go drag racing, so they went to the Compound.
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As a fellow car enthusiast, Nick Bauer said his roommate would never race his BMW because he took it to shows.
“He was really a car guy,” Bauer said. “He loved cars. He wouldn’t be out drag racing. I think he got carjacked. As soon as they got the car, they headed out of state with it.”
Judge Peacock scheduled Lemos’ sentencing for Aug. 8.
In February, Lanning took a plea deal in this case, too, and also for an amended charge of accessory-after-the-fact.
That means neither Lanning nor Lemos will be prosecuted for the murder of Mitchell.
The state attorney’s office in court did not say why.
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