A Sarasota County jury has convicted Michael David Reinel of second-degree murder with a firearm in the death of a man at a North Port home in February 2025. The verdict came at the end of a three-day trial held Oct. 26-28 at the Sarasota County Courthouse, according to the State Attorney’s Office. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Prosecutors said the shooting happened around 9 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2025, after an argument between Reinel and the victim. Two people inside the home called 911, and responding officers found the victim in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead about an hour after the call. Investigators said the victim was shot five times with a .357 revolver found in Reinel’s bedroom, and testing matched a projectile recovered from the victim to that firearm. Reinel testified that he acted in self-defense, but jurors rejected the claim.
Assistant State Attorney S. Ethan Dunn told the court, “This Defendant brought a gun to the living room to end the argument once and for all.” The case was investigated by North Port Police. For residents of that neighborhood, the verdict closes a long wait since last winter, and the sentencing phase will determine what comes next for Reinel.
What do you think carries the most weight in a self-defense case: the defendant’s testimony, the physical evidence, or the accounts of witnesses in the room? Let us know in the comments.
