What began as a robbery became a homicide. Now a 23-year-old man is headed to prison for 25 years.
Investigators found Frederson Jean-Phillipe dead outside a Lantana-area apartment complex in November 2018. What began as a robbery became a homicide.
WEST PALM BEACH — A 23-year-old man is headed to prison for 25 years after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2018 shooting death of a man near Lantana.
Reginald Owens also pleaded guilty to armed robbery during a hearing Tuesday before Circuit Judge Scott Suskauer. He sentenced Owens to concurrent prison terms of 25 years, with the sentence being the mandatory minimum.
Prosecutors in the murder case alleged that Owens set up a marijuana sale in the Lantana area that led to the Nov. 2, 2018, death of 26-year-old Frederson Jean-Phillipe of Royal Palm Beach.
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According to Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reports, Owens told detectives someone else fired the fatal shot after he arranged for Jean-Phillipe to meet with two acquaintances to purchase marijuana.
PBSO reports did not identify his alleged accomplices.
Owens said he knew the acquaintances planned to rob Jean-Phillipe but did not know they would kill him. He indicated that Jean-Phillipe dropped him off near the apartment complex that night before continuing to the drug deal.
About 30 minutes later, one of the people Jean-Philippe was meeting called Owens and told him they had robbed and shot Jean-Philippe, authorities said.
The person directed Owens to come to the complex. When Owens arrived, he saw Jean-Philippe's gold 2013 Volkswagen Jetta backed into a parking space and Jean-Philippe lying dead in the back seat.
Owens said he and three others moved Jean-Philippe's body into nearby bushes. They covered him with leaves and a black sheet. Owens said he also put the floor mats from Jean-Philippe's car over his body.
Owens said he and at least two other people drove Jean-Philippe's car to Belle Glade and tried to dump it in a lake, but that an unknown person interrupted them before they could dispose of the vehicle.
Suskauer also sentenced Owens to concurrent terms of 15 years on a separate charge of aggravated battery and five years for introducing contraband to a jail facility.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.