Monday (Feb 19), Kaiyam KELLMAN (21), entered a plea to the offense of Manslaughter with a Firearm (F1) for the death of Jose Reyes Jr. (22), in Palm Bay. KELLMAN was adjudicated guilty and sentenced by Circuit Judge Charles Crawford to twenty (20) years state prison, followed by ten (10) years of supervised probation.

 

KELLMAN also plead to Shooting a Deadly Missile (F2), and Discharging a Firearm From a Vehicle Within 1000 FT of a Person (F2). KELLMAN was sentenced to 15 years in prison for each offense (served concurrently), credited with 1,970 days for time served, and ordered to pay fines and court costs totaling $1,520.

 

On September 13, 2018, Palm Bay Police were called to Pelican Dr. where a vehicle had crashed into a residence. Upon arrival they found Jose Reyes Jr. behind the wheel of the car with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was transported to a hospital but later died of his injuries. A subsequent investigation established that Reyes, along with four others in his car, had arranged to meet a buyer and sell marijuana. However, the buyer KELLMAN, approached with a firearm and Reyes attempted to drive away. KELLMAN fired into the vehicle striking Reyes and resulting in the crash.

 

KELLMAN was 16 at the time of the incident and was prosecuted as an adult. He will now be transfered to the Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.