Man sentenced for aggravated murder in the 2019 shooting death of Middletown man

He’ll serve at least 54 years in prison for role in incident.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Two years after the robbery and shooting death of a man at his Middletown home, a 20-year-old man received a life prison sentence Tuesday in Butler County Common Pleas Court for the murder.

Cameron Kyles was convicted following a jury trial in August of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, felonious assault and having weapons under disability for the Oct. 12, 2019, death of Michael Stewart II. He was was also convicted of participation of a criminal gang in a separate case that was pending at the time of the slaying.

Judge Dan Haughey sentenced Kyles to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 54 years. The judge noted Kyles lack of remorse, gang affiliation and the fact he was free on bond at the time Stewart was killed as reasons for the hefty consecutive sentences.

“All of the evidence (presented at trial) made it clear the (victim) was unarmed. He was in his own home, sitting in a chair unaware of what was about to happen. He was gunned down in his own home,” Haughey said.

The judge said to Kyles, “Part of the defense in the case was (you) are a guy who is easily swayed by exterior forces and a desire to be with these other guys and gangs and you were easily led astray. The problem with you is not your brain at all. It is heartless to go into someone’s house and to end their life for a bag of marijuana and some bloody dollars.”

Kyles went to a Middletown house on the night of Oct. 12, 2019, and robbed and killed Stewart as part of a plot that had been talked about for weeks, prosecutors said during trial. Kyles confessed to detectives during interrogation.

Kyles maintained his innocence.

“I am innocent and I apologize to my mom,” Kyles told the judge.

Three members of Stewart’s family told the judge about “Mikey” was a funny, loving father of two young sons who are not without a father.

At trial the defense argued Kyles was a “patsy” to take the fall for those who actually conspired to rob Stewart.

Prosecutors said that 35-year-old Stewart was a “Blood” gang member and Kyles and the co-defendants were “Crips” who planned to “hit a lick” or rob Stewart of cash and marijuana.

Assistant Prosecutor Kraig Chadrick pointed out even at sentencing Kyles takes no responsibility for his actions and he killed to become a higher-level gang member.

“In Cameron Kyles’ world, life has no value. The value of a human being is zero to him, what matters is whether or not you are a member of his gang or are you a member of another gang. What matters to him is what he needs to do to show he is tough. He is somebody, it is the state’s position that poses a threat everyday he is out among society,” Chadrick said.

Camron Pawlowski, a 16-year-old boy and another teen hung out at Pawlowski’s residence on Bavarian Woods on Oct. 12 smoking marijuana and talking about the robbery, according to evidence. After picking up Kyles, they drove to Stewart’s house, parked in the alley, and sent in the youngest of the four to make a buy and see if anyone else was in the house.

Then Kyles went into the house with a gun, shots were fired and Kyles ran out as Stewart lay dying, grabbing money and a baggie of marijuana. They went back to the Bavarian Street residence where Kyles took a shower and put his clothes in the washing machine. The gun, which Middletown police found, was ditched in the woods near the residence wrapped in a white shirt, according to prosecutors.

The teens divided up the money from the robbery and blood-stained dollar bills were found in Kyles’ possession.

A juvenile boy pled guilty to murder and has been sentenced to the Ohio Department of Youth Services until his 21st birthday.

Pawlowski, 17, who was tried as an adult, was sentenced to prison for 15 years. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated burglary and having weapons under disability with gang and gun specifications. A fourth person in the car was not charged.

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