ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A man was sentenced to life in prison without parole Friday after a deadly shooting at a pub in St. Augustine in 2023.
Vance Wilkins, 34, confessed to the shooting that killed Jason Mullins, 50, in February 2023. Both were at the British Pub on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine
Deadly shootings in St. Augustine are rare, so when one took the life of a man who was very active in the community, there were ripples of disbelief.
Mullins and Wilkins did not go to the pub together that night, but ended up conversing and even arguing, according to witnesses.
People there heard Mullins stand up for Wilkin’s ex-girlfriend. Later, there was arguing behind the bar. That’s when Wilkins shot Mullins seven times, killing him before leaving the scene.
Friday, Wilkins took the stand telling the judge Mullins was punching him, so he shot him in self defense.
"This was not done with hate in my heart," Wilkins said. "This was done with fear in my heart."
However, friends and family of Mullins don’t believe he is violent. Friend Sylvia Sepulveda described him as peaceful.
Nancy Love-Martin, Mullins' mother, told First Coast News, "If there was anybody you would not expect to get murdered it would’ve been our son. Everybody knew him in the community. He was active in church. He helped the homeless. He was fearless. He would go out at night and check on people on the streets."
During court Friday, text messages were shown that revealed Wilkins said he was going to kill Mullins. Witnesses also testified he told them the same thing.
St. Augustine Police Detective Caroline McKenzie testified that Wilkins’ brother eventually told investigators that various guns and items were hidden in the woods near his home, after the shooting. It included a handgun which was a ballistic match to the casings found at the scene.
During court, it was revealed that drugs and alcohol were found in Mullins’ system. Wilkins said he also had been drinking.