WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 43-year-old Palm Beach Gardens man faces a murder charge in the death of a 28-year-year Riviera Beach man at the Sands Hotel on Singer Island after an argument about buying a woman a drink, Riviera Beach police said.
Lawrence Mitchell was arrested Friday on a charge of second-degree murder with a firearm in the death of Troy Nichols on Valentine's Day. Palm Beach County Judge Lauren Burke ordered Mitchell held without bond Saturday morning. His next appearance was set for March 20.
Riviera Beach police were called to a shooting shortly before 11 p.m. in the 2400 block of Beach Court, where they found the victim, later identified as Nichols, dead of a gunshot to the head. A .45-caliber empty cartridge casing was found in the center of the parking lot near a parked Chevrolet Suburban, according to the arrest report.
A witness working at the Seaside Bar and Grill told police that "Tony," later identified as Mitchell, was outside arguing with someone. The witness said Tony had been a customer.
Though the witness tried to calm Tony down, he reached into his belt and pulled out a handgun. According to the witness, Tony advanced toward Nichols and fired the semi-automatic weapon at the victim.
Another witness said the victim was arguing with Tony because he was talking to his girlfriend, Faith Hawver-King.
The victim yelled an obscenity and said, "I am leaving," according to the arrest report.
Later during an interview with the girlfriend, she said Mitchell walked into the bar and "had an issue with the unknown male" and then followed him outside. Though she noted them shaking hands outside, the situation escalated.
Another witness said the victim attempted to buy the girlfriend a drink.
Surveillance video showed the outside confrontation.
Police obtained text messages between Mitchell and his girlfriend in which she described "an on and off boyfriend/girlfriend relationship for approximately two years and she is pregnant with his child."
Nichols and his girlfriend, Laiken Smerdon, are the parents of a 7-month-old boy.
In an interview with WPTV on Wednesday, Smerdon said her boyfriend left home to hang out with a friend.
"I'm angry and I don't know understand how something like this can happen," Smerdon said. "He doesn't have any enemies over here, no friends."
The Sands Hotel is located in the heart of Singer Island that is known to be a popular tourist destination.