Angry words over missing trash can led to fatal gunfire, guilty verdict for West Palm-area man

WEST PALM BEACH — Alfredo Bless told police he shot his roommate, 28-year-old Evan Schottenheimer, on the night of March 25, 2019, after Schottenheimer attacked him with a knife.

However, a witness told investigators that Bless was the attacker, killing Schottenheimer in their home near West Palm Beach during a dispute over a missing trash can.

A Palm Beach County jury on Feb. 8 found Bless, now 44, guilty of second-degree murder in Schottenheimer's death and also of the charge of shooting into a building. Circuit Judge Caroline Shepherd delayed sentencing and ordered that a pre-sentence investigation happen in the next 30 days. She scheduled a hearing on the case May 9.

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Shepherd also denied a defense motion for acquittal.

The incident took place on a Monday afternoon at the home on Eadie Place, off Military Trail near the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, that the men shared.

Video evidence showed Bless pulling a gun a from bag in his lap and shooting Schottenheimer once in the chest after Schottenheimer told Bless he didn't know where his missing trash can was, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators said. They said there was no evidence that Schottenheimer was armed.

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.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jury finds man guilty in 2019 fatal shooting over missing trash can