Inset top: Kaleb Mickens (Tarrant County Sheriff”s Office). Inset bottom: Sheila Cuevas (GoFundMe). Background: A photo appears to show Mickens, Cuevas, and his dog outside of a building (KDFW/YouTube).
A chilling case has unfolded in Texas, where a man will now face a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of drugging and brutally beating his girlfriend to death, a crime he astonishingly tried to pin on his dog.
Kaleb Mickens, aged 34, has been handed a 40-year sentence following his guilty plea to first-degree aggravated assault involving family violence, as announced by the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. This conviction is linked to the tragic death of Sheila Cuevas.
Compounding his legal troubles, Mickens received additional sentences: 20 years for a probation violation tied to aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, and 15 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Dallas County. Prosecutors highlighted that these crimes were committed against other women he was involved with romantically.
Authorities identified Mickens as a notable figure in the multi-level marketing sphere through IM Academy, where he enticed young individuals with the allure of substantial financial gain by joining his training team. Despite his initial success, Mickens reportedly saw his earnings dwindle as 2023 progressed.
The defendant — who went by “Cash Cartier” — used his “perceived wealth and status to manipulate men and women with threats and promises while hiding his very violent private persona,” the DA’s office added. Photos shared by regional Fox affiliate KDFW show him speaking at events and holding nearly 100,000 followers on Instagram, and prosecutors said he was making $20,000 a week at the peak of his success.
On October 8, 2023, Mickens made a distress call to 911, alleging that Sheila Cuevas had been attacked by his dog, Soldier, and was no longer breathing. In the aftermath, Soldier was euthanized. However, authorities soon uncovered the grim reality behind Mickens’ false claim.
On that day, Mickens called 911 to report that Cuevas had been attacked by his dog, Soldier, and that she had stopped breathing. “The dog was taken and euthanized,” authorities recall.
However, investigators later determined that the dog could not have caused the woman’s injuries and death.
“She was found in their apartment at the foot of the bed, I would say head to toe beaten, bruised, swollen face, cauliflower ear, puncture wounds, she had 15 broken ribs,” Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Allenna Bangs said.
Investigators identified Mickens as their suspect, but they say they were unable to bring a murder charge against him because of “complications” with the medical examiner and “proving the cause of death.”
They reportedly never came to a determination as to why he drugged and beat her.
“In a full court room Monday, several women delivered impact statements that included details of torment, torture, manipulation, and sexual assault,” the DA’s office said. “Each shared their message of survival and personal devastation that Ms. Cuevas did not survive.”
Cuevas’ family, including her brother, directly addressed Mickens, saying, “You deserve this.”
A GoFundMe for Cuevas — whose age at the time of her death is unclear — remembers her as “an amazing human being. Her smile and her kind heart, lit up every room she stepped in. We are certain she is resting blissfully in heaven.”
