Florida Man Shoots at Two Migrants in Alleged Home Invasion, One Died

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A Florida homeowner shot at two migrants who allegedly broke into his home Thursday night. One of the migrants, a Mexican national, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells told reporters his deputies responded to a call about a shooting connected to an alleged home invasion burglary. The homeowner said his home surveillance camera alerted him to the two masked men who were about to break into his home, Fox 13 reported.

“He [the homeowner] knew something bad was about to happen, and he didn’t stall. He grabbed his firearm, told his wife to get into a safe spot,” the sheriff said. “This is the state of Florida. If you want to break into someone’s home, you should expect to be shot.”

The homeowner reportedly told his wife to find a safe place in the house as he grabbed his firearm to defend his home and family. Florida is a Castle Doctrine state that allows a homeowner to use deadly force to defend himself or others.

The homeowner entered a room where a Mexican national was standing, later identified as Nestevan Flores-Toledo, 27. aka Anibal Miller-Valencia. The homeowner fired at least three shots, striking the intruder multiple times.

A second man, Michel Soto-Mella, 39, was in the process of entering the home through a window and retreated, the sheriff explained. Deputies with a K-9 team tracked the Chilean migrant down and arrested him a few blocks away from the house.

The sheriff stated that Miller-Valencia had an active warrant for a parole violation out of Oak Brook, Illinois. The Mexican national was considered armed and dangerous after his 2023 residential burglar conviction.

Miller-Valencia died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Friday morning from the gunshot wounds received in this week’s burglary.

The sheriff explained that Soto-Mella, a Chilean national, entered the country in California on a 90-day visa. That visa expired in September.

Soto-Mella is under arrest in the Manatee County jail on the armed burglary charge. Officials said he could face a felony murder charge connected to the death of Miller-Valencia.

“We’re trying to get everything that we can from the suspect,” Wells explained. “He’s being somewhat cooperative, but he’s not telling us everything.”