In a solemn courtroom decision, 15-year-old Ke’mani Narda Hill has been sentenced to two decades in a state correctional facility following a plea of nolo contendere to a series of severe charges. These charges include manslaughter with a firearm, armed robbery, shooting into a vehicle, possession of a firearm by a minor, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. This grave sentence was handed down in Gainesville, Florida, reflecting the serious nature of the crimes committed.
Back in April 2024, the tragic sequence of events unfolded at the Tiger Bay Apartments located at 484 SE 24th Dr. On the morning of April 19, police officers from the Gainesville Police Department were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of Wilber Perez inside his vehicle, which had crashed into the leasing office of the apartment complex.
Surveillance footage from the apartment complex provided crucial insights into the incident. The video captured Perez as he parked his car near Building 4, only moments before a swift and chaotic sequence unfolded. Shortly after parking, his vehicle suddenly reversed and collided with the leasing office.
A witness present in the vehicle with Perez recounted the moments leading up to the tragedy. According to her, Perez was on a phone call when he arrived at the complex. As he parked, several young black individuals approached the driver’s side window. One of them, later identified as Zion James, who was 14 at the time, reportedly grabbed a bag of marijuana from Perez’s lap and fled. In an attempt to escape, Perez began to reverse the car when another juvenile, identified as Hill, then just 13 years old, allegedly shoved a firearm through the window. The witness reported hearing a gunshot, after which Perez sped off, ultimately crashing into the building. It was only then that the witness realized Perez had been shot, leading to the fatal conclusion of this shocking incident.
Surveillance video from the complex reportedly showed the victim arriving and parking near Building 4. About two minutes later, the vehicle rapidly reversed, swerved, and crashed into the leasing office.
A witness who was in the victim’s vehicle said the victim was on the phone with someone when he arrived at the complex; after he parked, several black juveniles walked up to the driver’s side window, then one of the juveniles, later identified as Zion James (14 at the time), snatched a bag of marijuana from the victim’s lap and ran. When the victim began backing out of the parking space, the witness said, another juvenile, later identified as Hill (13 at the time), stuck a gun through the window, and then the witness heard a gunshot. The victim drove away quickly and then crashed into the building, and the witness said she noticed at that time that the victim had been shot.
Read our original article about the investigation.
Read about Zion James’s 10-year prison sentence.
Hill was originally charged with first-degree murder (capital felony), armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Plea and sentence
Today, she entered a plea of nolo contendere to manslaughter with a firearm (a lesser included offense instead of first-degree murder) and the other four original offenses. According to the plea document, the maximum sentence for the charges is life in prison.
Judge Denise Ferrero sentenced Hill to three concurrent sentences of 20 years in prison, with credit for 685 days served, followed by 10 years of probation; Hill received an additional concurrent sentence of 15 years in prison for shooting into an occupied vehicle and was also sentenced to 364 days with credit for 364 days served for possession of a firearm by a minor. While gain time can be applied to the other sentences, the 20-year sentence for armed robbery is a minimum mandatory sentence.
Assistant State Attorneys Glenn Bryan and Dean Zipes led the prosecution team.
