An Alabama man with a lengthy history of property crime arrests has been charged in a double homicide in Florida.
Roger Myles Gilbert, a 35, is charged with second-degree murder in the slayings of David Mikell and Shane Clements. The victims were fatally shot on Pennsylvania Avenue in Lake County, FL.’s Altoona community on Aug. 25.
According to Lake County sheriff’s officials, the investigation has been ongoing since the murders. Gilbert lives in the Bessemer area.
Two days after the victims killed, Gilbert was involved in multiple incidents in Ormond Beach, FL. Ormond Beach authorities arrested Gilbert on unrelated charges and during their investigation, made the connection that Gilbert and the vehicle he was in were being sought in connection with the Altoona homicides.
Detectives then obtained witness testimony and physical evidence that tied Gilbert to the murders, sheriff’s officials said.
Lake County sheriff’s Lt. John Herrell said a motive has not yet been disclosed.
Gilbert and Samantha Butler were previously identified as persons of interest in the double homicide. Butler died late last month after shooting herself when the vehicle she was in wrecked following a police chase, authorities said.
At the time of the Aug. 26 wreck, Ormond Beach, Fla., police did not believe Samantha H. Butler, 29, of Alabama, died as a result of the crash. The investigation into Butler’s death showed she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound that “occurred after the motor vehicle crash,” police said.
Butler’s family said police have told them she was not involved in the double homicide. They also say the investigation into her death has been mishandled, and they believe she would still be alive if Jefferson County authorities had kept Gilbert in jail.
Gilbert is being held in the Volusia County Jail on the unrelated charges. At some point, he will be transferred to the Lake County Jail where he will be held without bond because he is considered a flight risk.
Gilbert has a string of arrests in Jefferson County dating back to 2009, mostly for property crimes. He has been charged with about 22 crimes including burglary, theft and unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle during that time period.
He pleaded guilty in 2013 to unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle and received a 15-year suspended sentence. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to third-degree burglary and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with three years to serve. Bessemer Cutoff Judge David Carpenter in September said Gibbs violated the conditions of his probation and issued a revocations.
Most recently, Gilbert was arrested in August by Bessemer police on charges of burglary, drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Aug. 5 at 5:07 p.m. and released less than three hours later after posting bonds totaling $16,500. Bonds are set by the courts.
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