Bradenton Man Found Guilty of Killing Girlfriend on Her Birthday

Staff Report

BRADENTON — Nicholas Lee Shermer has been found guilty of Second Degree Murder following the tragic shooting of his girlfriend, Amanda Shoaf, on her 27th birthday at their Carlton Arms apartment on August 27, 2023.

The defendant fired four shots at Shoaf, with the fatal injury inflicted by the fourth shot. Shortly after the incident, Shermer contacted 911 and confessed, stating, “I shot my girlfriend.”

Assistant State Attorney Garrett Franzen, who led the prosecution, expressed relief at the jury’s decision: “We are very pleased with the jury’s verdict and thankful that the family of Amanda Shoaf can begin to feel some closure after losing Amanda to a senseless act of domestic violence.” He also acknowledged the vital roles played by the Bradenton Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and other agencies involved in the investigation.

While a sentencing date remains to be set, the conviction carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, with a minimum mandatory sentence ranging from 25 years to life.