Man sentenced to 25 years in prison following 2019 Waffle House murder
A Gainesville man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his involvement in a homicide at a Waffle House three years ago.
Standing before Circuit Judge Phil Pena on Thursday, Ezekiel Hicks, 29, was sentenced to 20 years for manslaughter and five years for carrying a concealed weapon in connection with the 2019 death of Craig Brewer, 41.
At around 2:30 a.m. on April 7, 2019, Hicks and Brewer had gotten into an altercation at the Waffle House located at 7611 W. Newberry Road.
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Alachua County sheriff's deputies said Brewer had been paying for others' food and giving out money to some of the restaurant's customers shortly before his death.
The acts of kindness led to resentment from one female customer, according to the Sheriff’s Office, and that gave rise to an argument between Brewer and his alleged killer. Suddenly, a crowded Waffle House turned into a murder scene.
Hicks shot Brewer multiple times, at least once in the head, said then-Lt. Brett Rhodenizer of the sheriff’s office.
Deputies believe the men's argument started after a woman, who was at the Waffle House with Hicks, got angry because Brewer's generous turn in paying for others' meals didn't include hers. Brewer had been picking up the tab for others' food and handing out $20 bills.
“The victim was engaging folks at the restaurant, and there was a disagreement with a female customer,” Rhodenizer said.
Hicks confronted him, deputies said.
At one point during the argument, deputies said, Hicks left the restaurant and came back with a gun. A bystander tried to dissuade him going back in.
Brewer and Hicks got into a brief physical fight before Hicks pulled the trigger, deputies said.
Deputies responded to the Waffle House after employees called 911 to report it had reached maximum capacity but customers were refusing to leave, Rhodenizer said. They arrived to find Brewer with gunshot wounds to the head.
They believe the shooting occurred just before they got there or as they were arriving, Rhodenizer said.
Hicks was later arrested at his Gainesville residence.
Alachua sheriff’s detectives used video evidence along with eyewitness testimony in helping to secure Hick’s conviction. Sentencing lasted two days, which allowed for both victim impact statements and defense witnesses to be presented to the court.
Though initially charged with first-degree murder, Hicks entered into a plea deal with prosecutors resulting in the lesser manslaughter and concealed weapon charges.
Javon L. Harris is a local government and social justice reporter for The Gainesville Sun. He can be reached by phone at (352) 338-3103, by email at jlharris@gannett.com or on Twitter @JavonLHarris_JD.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Ezekiel Hicks gets 25 years for killing Craig Brewer at Waffle House
