SEBRING — Trevor Jaime Reggie Manning, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder in the Sept. 15 shooting death of 21-year-old Michael Hilton Jr. in Avon Park.
Hilton’s body was discovered in the back yard of a home on A Avenue in Avon Park around 9 a.m. the morning of Sept. 15. Residents of the home told detectives they had heard multiple loud gunshots around 1 a.m. the previous night. It was not until they went outside the next morning that they discovered Hilton’s body.
The investigation revealed that in the hours before the 1 a.m. shots were heard, Manning and Hilton had been in an altercation not far from where Hilton’s body was found.
Evidence from the crime scene was able to be linked to an earlier incident where Manning had been seen with a gun in the area. On Sept. 26, Manning was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in relation to that incident. He was still in jail when he was served with his new charges of second-degree murder and another count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call 863-402-7250, email [email protected] or leave a tip on the HCSO mobile app. Tips via the HCSO app can be anonymous.
You can also leave an anonymous tip with Heartland Crime Stoppers on their P3tips app or by calling 1-800-226 TIPS (8477), dialing **TIPS on your cell phone, or visiting www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and clicking on the “Submit A Tip” button. Crime Stoppers tips are always anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.
Note: Not all arrests result in convictions. Everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty in court.
