SHOOTER PLEADS GUILTY IN ROBBERY GONE WRONG
The young man who pulled the trigger in an April robbery-gonewrong pleaded guilty to three charges Wednesday afternoon, the first of five suspects to resolve his case.
Miykael Isiaih Norfleat, 20, pleaded guilty to seconddegree murder in the death of Raven Tre-von Edelen, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon in front of Circuit Court Judge Mark Duthie shortly after 2 p.m.
Norfleat was originally charged with open murder, first- degree home invasion, felony firearm and carrying a concealed weapon. In October, Isabella County Prosecutor David Barberi added conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to rob while armed, two counts of felonious assault and three additional counts of felony firearm.
As part of the plea deal, the open murder was amended to second-degree murder and the other charges were dropped.
Barberi and Norfleat’s attorney, Dan O’neal, told Duthie they expect Norfleat’s sentence will be between approximately 19-36 years. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27.
Norfleat, a Chicago native living in Mt. Pleasant temporarily, admitted to holding the gun that shot and killed Edelen, a 21-year-old Wyoming (Mich.) man who also went by Ray Nori, during a robbery-gone-wrong April 27 in a Campus Habitat apartment in the 500 block of Edgewood Drive on the south side of Mt. Pleasant.
Norfleat told Duthie that he was a late add to the conspiracy to rob Edelen of money and marijuana, cooked up by Robert Ray Jamison, Anthony Smiles and Jesse Hinton Jr., all 20 and from Chicago. A different fourth — currently unidentified — person was supposed to take part, but backed out. Norfleat agreed to participate less than 20 minutes before the incident happened just before 6 p.m., he said.
The four drove to Edelen’s apartment, where they expected to find him alone, Norfleat said. Norfleat, Jamison and Hinton were supposed to go inside and rob Edelen, while Smiles waited to drive the getaway car.
Instead, Norfleat said he entered the apartment alone and found Edelen in the bedroom playing video games with two other people.
Initially, Norfleat pointed his gun at all three before focusing on Edelen, he said. After he finished his narrative, Duthie told him that pointing his gun at all three was when it turned into assault with a dangerous weapon.
Norfleat walked past the other two to rob Edelen, who fled out of a window in the living room. He pointed the gun at Edelen and gave him an order, Norfleat said, adding that Edelen said, “F**k that,” and smacked the gun.
The gun went off, and the two wrestled. The gun went off twice more; these were the two shots that killed Edelen.
Norfleat returned to the apartment he was staying in with Justin Wendall Collins, 22, of Mt. Pleasant, and was arrested after leaving to go to a liquor store, he said.
Collins was arrested, too, and originally placed at the scene by one of the witnesses who fled out of the window. Wednesday afternoon, Norfleat didn’t include Collins’ name as one of the people present for the robbery. He did identify Collins as the owner of the 9mm pistol used, however.
Collins is currently scheduled for trial on March 1. He was originally charged with open murder, first-degree home invasion and felony firearm. The two were the only people involved arrested until Jamison was arrested in Chicago and brought back to Isabella County in August. He was also charged with open murder, first-degree home invasion and felony firearm.
Jamison cooperated with police, and in late September Smiles and Hinton were both charged with open murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to rob while armed, first-degree home invasion, two counts of assault with assault with a dangerous weapon and four counts of felony firearm. Smiles and Hinton both have preliminary examinations set for Feb. 8.