CHIPLEY – Kyle Michael Porter was sentenced to 30 years in prison Tuesday for killing a friend with a shot to the head as they argued following an unsuccessful fishing trip in 2024.
Chief Circuit Court Judge Christopher Patterson presided over the Sept. 23 trial that found the defendant guilty of Manslaughter with a Firearm and ordered the sentence. Chief Washington County Prosecutor Megan presented the case that led to the verdict after 35 minutes of deliberation.
Testimony and evidence at trial proved the defendant, victim Randy Joseph Lynn, and a third man went fishing at Joiner Lake off Teardrop Trail on April 27, 2024. The three men worked together.
There was arguing between the defendant and the victim during the trip, but when they returned to the dock, the victim was too intoxicated to get out of the boat on his own.
The victim was helped out of the boat and resumed his argument with the defendant.
A witness said the victim was unarmed during the argument when the defendant pulled his pistol and fired one shot into his head. The victim, whose blood-alcohol level was .257 – more than three times the legal driving limit – fell backward into the water and died.
The defendant claimed self-defense, but the witness, along with the victim’s level of intoxication proved he was unarmed and not a threat.
“This case is about 15 seconds on a dock and a decision that cannot be taken back,” Ford said at trial. “Randy Lynn did not have a weapon, he did not reach for Kyle’s gun, he did not touch him. Then Kyle introduced a loaded gun into the argument, and approximately 15 seconds passed before Kyle pulled the trigger.”
Basford thanked the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for its thorough investigation that helped lead to a successful outcome.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.