Michel L. Rice tragically lost his life on November 28, 2020, in Jacksonville, Florida, as a result of a drive-by shooting. On that fateful day, officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office responded to a distress call on Dunn Avenue. Rice had called 911, reporting that he had been shot and remained on the line as he succumbed to his injuries. Another 911 caller witnessed the shooting, describing how shots were fired at Rice's car while he was driving.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Rice's car crashed into a tree, with the driver's side riddled with bullet holes. Rice was found deceased inside the vehicle.
The investigation quickly identified Tre'Shawn Miller as a suspect. A witness had noted the license plate number of the shooter's car, describing it as a black vehicle that had pulled up next to Rice's car, fired shots, and then continued west on Dunn Avenue. Six days after the incident, patrol officers located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Miller was driving the car, and his girlfriend, the owner of the vehicle, was in the front passenger seat. A search of the car revealed two firearms and an empty magazine that fires 5.7×28 ammunition, which matched the shell casings found at the crime scene. Further investigation, including a search of Miller's home, uncovered a gun box for the specific firearm that uses that ammunition.
Surveillance footage played a crucial role in the case, showing Miller driving his girlfriend's car on the day of the shooting. The footage also captured Miller and two other men following Rice at a store on City Station Drive. After Rice left the store, Miller and the two men got into the black car and pursued him, leading to the fatal shooting.
The case was thoroughly investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Katelyn Johnston and Corie Posey. In May 2024, a Duval County jury found Tre'Shawn Miller guilty of manslaughter for the shooting death of Michel Rice. With this verdict, Miller faces up to 30 years in Florida State Prison, with sentencing to be determined by the Honorable Jeb Branham at a later date. This conviction brought some measure of justice for the tragic loss of Michel L. Rice, whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.
