Holmes County murder defendant pleads guilty as jury selection set to begin

Anthony Hicks sentenced to 45 years in prison

As prospective jurors assembled Tuesday for the start of jury selection, Anthony Lee Hicks Jr. entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Marcus “Kale” Fournier, bringing the case to a close before trial could begin.

According to a press release from State Attorney Larry Basford, Hicks, 32, pleaded guilty to the March 26, 2024 shooting death of Fournier, 25. Circuit Court Judge Russell Roberts accepted the plea and imposed a 45-year prison sentence. Under Florida’s 10-20-Life statute, Hicks must serve a mandatory minimum of 25 years day-for-day.

Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet was prepared to present evidence showing that Hicks, with his father as a passenger, crashed a Volkswagen Jetta near County Road 173 and Parrish Road. Prosecutors said Fournier stopped to render aid after coming upon the crash. For reasons that remain unknown, Hicks shot Fournier multiple times, killing him.

“This is a senseless tragedy where Mr. Fournier was simply being a good citizen and helping people he thought were severely injured,” Overstreet said. “While we may never know exactly why the defendant shot and killed Mr. Fournier, one thing is clear: the defendant’s intoxication played a huge role. With this plea, the victim’s family can now start to have some closure.”

Evidence presented by the state showed that shortly after 4 a.m., troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol responded to a crash scene in Holmes County where a white Volkswagen Jetta had overturned and struck a tree. Upon arrival, troopers initially believed Fournier had been ejected from a nearby vehicle after finding him deceased behind another white car on the roadside. That assessment changed when troopers and emergency medical personnel discovered a gunshot wound to Fournier’s head.

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office responded and determined Hicks had been driving at a high rate of speed while under the influence of methamphetamine, cannabis, and alcohol. Investigators said Hicks’ father had been asleep in the passenger seat and was awakened after the crash when Hicks removed him from the overturned vehicle.

A 911 call placed by Hicks using the victim’s cellphone captured what authorities described as a highly agitated and intoxicated defendant arguing with his father. During the call, Hicks’ father can be heard saying, “What did you do?!” and “You shot him!” Law enforcement later recovered a .40-caliber Taurus firearm and three spent shell casings at the scene.

Investigators determined Fournier had been on his way to work and stopped solely as a Good Samaritan to help the crash victims. Forensic analysis of the recovered firearm revealed Hicks’ DNA. An autopsy found that Fournier suffered a gunshot wound to the chin that exited the skull, as well as two gunshot wounds to the back.

Basford credited the Florida Highway Patrol, the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their work and cooperation throughout the investigation.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov or 850-381-7454.