BREVARD COUNT, Fla. — A judge declared a mistrial Monday after a Brevard County jury said it could not reach a verdict in the trial of three men accused in a deadly 2021 Merritt Island home invasion.
The decision followed weeks of testimony in the trial of Chase Harrison, Cory Cabaniss and Anthony Davila. Each defendant faces a first-degree felony murder charge.
The trial began in late July, more than five years after the home invasion.
Prosecutors said the defendants were among five armed men who posed as Drug Enforcement Administration agents and sheriff’s deputies before forcing their way into a home on East Hall Road on March 3, 2021.
The state argued that the group deliberately targeted the residence, where 25-year-old Matthew Nicol and his dog were shot and killed.
Defense attorneys maintained that prosecutors failed to prove their case against the three men. One defense attorney characterized the state’s case as relying on “guilt by association.”
Two other men charged in connection with the case previously accepted plea agreements. David Foreman-Taylor was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Brian Vogel received a 30-year sentence.
The judge scheduled a hearing for Sept. 29 to determine the next steps in the case.
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