He shot 2 people, robbed them at Homestead tow yard, jury finds. He faces life in prison
.png "Thomas Daniels was found guilty April 8, 2022, of shooting two people at a Homestead tow yard in 2020. Prosecutors say the photo shows Daniels pointing a gun.")
A Homestead man faces life imprisonment after a South Florida federal jury found him guilty of shooting two tow yard workers and then stealing their jewelry and their car in 2020.
The decision came Friday after more than a weeklong trial. Thomas Daniels, 21, was convicted of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possessing ammunition by a convicted felon. He will be sentenced June 13.
Prosecutors argued that Daniels pawned the jewelry and was found two days after the crime wearing the same clothes he was seen in on surveillance video at the tow yard.
According to the criminal complaint, Daniels showed up at Supreme Tow/MIA Auto Recovery, 139 SW Third Ave. in Homestead, on Feb. 14, 2020, and tried to open the door of a 2010 Honda Civic that was parked outside.
The door was locked, so Daniels opened the gate of the business and went inside, investigators say. He then approached the two male workers and pointed a gun at them, according to the complaint. He shot one of the men and took his necklace, bracelet and phone. The other man tried to run away, but Daniels shot him as well before taking his keys, investigators said.
Daniels then drove away in the Honda. Both men were rushed to a nearby hospital and have since recovered, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The entire crime was captured on the business’ surveillance cameras, according to the complaint.
The day after he stole the car, Daniels went to South Dade Jewelry and Gun Exchange, where he pawned a gold necklace and bracelet for $1,500. Then on Feb. 16, 2020, Homestead officers spotted Daniels wearing the same hooded sweatshirt that he was wearing two days earlier.
On March 3, 2020, Homestead police announced Daniels had been arrested on a federal warrant after a “thorough investigation” with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This story was originally published April 8, 2022 at 4:59 PM.
