What was supposed to be a fishing getaway in Ruskin ended in a life sentence for a Polk City man, after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder in a deadly shooting during the trip.
On Monday, May 4, 2026, a judge sentenced 60-year-old John Skeen to life in prison for the killing, which happened just before 10 p.m. on March 10, 2023, at a home in the 300 block of Manatee Drive. Prosecutors said Skeen shot the victim in the upper body. Skeen testified that he acted in self-defense, but a jury rejected that claim at a March trial. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and later died.
How deputies say the shooting unfolded
According to a press release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Skeen and three friends were staying at a Ruskin residence for a fishing trip when they went out to a local bar and later returned to the home. There, a verbal argument broke out and escalated, deputies said. During the dispute, Skeen pulled a firearm and the single shot struck the male victim in the upper body.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue responded, performed life-saving measures and took the victim to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
Guilty verdict and life sentence
After hearing testimony at trial in March, a jury found Skeen guilty of second-degree murder. On Monday, a judge followed that verdict with a life sentence, as reported by Tampa Bay 28…