ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Five years after 21-year-old Salaythis Melvin was shot and killed by an Orange County deputy outside the Florida Mall, his family has reached a $1 million settlement with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Attorney Carlus Haynes, who represented Melvin’s family, said the settlement, finalized in late July, was years in the making and marks a step toward healing for Melvin’s mother, Michelin McKee.
Haynes said McKee insisted the agreement include a handwritten apology letter from former deputy James Montiel, who fired the fatal shot.
“It was more important than the money,” Haynes said. “She left money on the table because she wanted that letter.”
Investigators said the August 2020 incident began when deputies approached Melvin near the Florida Mall. Authorities said Melvin ran from deputies and had a gun on him before Montiel shot him.
In 2022, State Attorney Monique Worrell determined Montiel’s actions were lawful. He has since left the sheriff’s office.
According to court documents, the $1 million payment will come from the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund.
Haynes said the case highlights broader concerns about how deputies respond in tense encounters.
“I hope Sheriff Mena takes this seriously,” Haynes said. “They dodged a bullet, because a jury would have seen the injustice in a 21-year-old’s life being cut way short.”
McKee is satisfied with the apology letter she received from Montiel, according to her attorney.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has not yet responded to News 6’s request for comment on the settlement.