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Highlands Today

Tiller Murder Suspect May Change Plea

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 14, 2008

SEBRING - One of the suspects charged in the murder of Samuel Tiller may change his plea at a December hearing.
Nicholas Michael Mezie, 18, formerly of Sebring, is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary of a dwelling stemming from the Nov. 24, 2007 incident.

"There's a possibility of a plea," said Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin, adding he has been in talks with defense attorneys.

Houchin did not want to get into specifics about what the plea would entail, since he has not had the chance to discuss it with members of Tiller's family. The suspect will be back in court Dec. 12 at 8:30 a.m.

Mezie, along with fellow suspects Joseph Paul Graham, 18, 3806 Leeway Court, and Gerald Sanders, 19, of 243 Mandy Circle, both of Sebring, are accused of entering Tiller's home with the intention of burglarizing it.

The three arrived at the Tiller residence at 1610 Falcon Ave., around 2:50 a.m., on Nov. 24, according to court documents. They drove in Graham's 2006 Mercury Marquis.

One of the suspects first broke the glass of a bedroom window on the house's north side. The three then got back in the car and drove away slowly to see if anyone would turn on the lights, the court documents stated.

After returning and seeing no movement, Mezie and Sanders reportedly entered the house through the broken window and opened the front door to let Graham in.

Mezie and Sanders were rummaging through a cabinet in the living room and Sanders was going through a television stand cabinet when they were startled by Tiller, who was awakened by the noise, the documents stated.

The victim did not see Graham, who allegedly shot him from behind in the side of the head. Tiller died instantly and the three suspects fled the scene.

In conversations with authorities, Mezie reportedly admitted to taking part in the planning and commission of the burglary, as well as committing other burglaries, including one where the weapon used to kill Tiller was taken.

At his Dec. 12 court appearance, Mezie may also enter a plea in two separate burglary cases.

The first reportedly occurred on Oct. 18, 2007, while the second happened between Nov. 24 and Nov. 25 of the same year.

In the latter, Mezie is charged with armed burglary of a dwelling, which alleges he entered a home while armed, or became armed within the dwelling, with a firearm, according to court records. He was also charged with grand theft in both of the burglaries.

Sanders' next court appearance in the Tiller case is a pretrial conference on Nov. 25. He also has a plea hearing scheduled in a separate case, where he is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of armed kidnapping and one count each of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, armed burglary of a dwelling, robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery on a child and cruelty to animals.

Graham has a status hearing set for Jan. 23. Arrest reports state that he reportedly admitted to shooting Tiller. The state filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for the defendant.

Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com.

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