Copeland man connected to father's death aboard fishing boat sentenced to prison

A Copeland man accused in his father’s death aboard a fishing boat in March was sentenced Monday to just fewer than 10 years in prison at the federal courthouse in Fort Myers.   

His family, literally and figuratively separated by the case, sat on opposite sides of the courtroom during the proceeding.  

Casey Hickok, 32, originally faced a second-degree murder charge and was accused of bludgeoning the sleeping Robert Hickok, 54 of Copeland, to death with an alternator aboard the fishing boat No Bitchin’ on March 18. 

Casey Hickok pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on June 17 as part of a plea deal. 

He accepted the deal after the Lee County Medical Examiner’s Office amended his father’s manner of death from homicide to undetermined. 

Previous coverage:

• Change in autopsy report draws criticism in case of man connected to father's death
• After autopsy report change, man accused of killing father gets plea deal
• Man accused of killing his father aboard fishing boat pleads guilty to lesser charge

U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber sentenced Casey Hickok to nine years and seven months, or 115 months, in prison with a three-year term of supervised release.   

Dressed in a tan Charlotte County Jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, Casey Hickok turned around and chatted with a group of eight supporters before the hearing.  

“I am always going to be by your side, and you will come home one day," said Casey Hickok’s wife, Tina Hickok, before the hearing. 

On the other side of the courtroom, sat two of Casey Hickok’s aunts, Pamela Morelli and Kimberly Hunt, who testified on behalf of the prosecution.  

Morelli said the death of her brother caused her the most pain she has ever felt. 

“I just don’t understand why this happened,” Morelli said.  

Hunt said the family is devastated by what happened to Robert Hickok.  

Casey Hickok took a son from his mother, a father from his children and a grandfather from his grandchildren, Hunt said.  

During his testimony, Casey Hickok said he beat his father with the alternator because he was in a panic after his father molested and touched him sexually. 

He asked his father for something to drink then fell asleep and knew he was molested when he woke up, Casey Hickok said.  

His father sexually assaulted him and his siblings beginning at a young age, Casey Hickok said.  

Robert Hickok made the brothers fight each other as punishment and put them through mental, sexual and physical abuse, Casey Hickok said.  

Tina Hickok said Robert Hickok’s death was “very horrible” for both sides.

His death was not deliberate, and her husband was left with no choice because of his upbringing, Tina Hickok said at the hearing.  

“He (Casey Hickok) never had a chance,” Tina Hickok said. “All I am asking for is mercy.” 

Growing up, her husband’s home was full of violence, abuse and drug use, Tina Hickok said.  

“He’s a good person with a good heart,” Tina Hickok said about her husband. “He’s a good-hearted, loving person.”  

The judge asked family members in support of Casey Hickok to leave separately from those in support of his prosecution after the hearing to avoid confrontation. 

Casey Hickok will be required to participate in substance abuse and mental health treatment programs and 100 hours of community service once he is released from prison. He will also have to pay a special assessment of $100 as part of his sentence.   

The maximum sentence the judge could have sentenced Hickok to was 10 years, or 120 months, in prison. 

The judge chose not to sentence Casey Hickok to the maximum sentence because he cooperated with the judicial process and pleaded guilty to the assault charge.   

“He deserves a little time off for pleading guilty,” Barber said.   

He believes the defendant was abused and agrees he had a very difficult life, but Casey Hickok is a danger to other people and there is a “100 percent” chance he will commit more crimes if he isn’t incarcerated, Barber said.  

The judge cited Casey Hickok’s long criminal record.  

Court records show Casey Hickok was adjudicated guilty on a battery charge in 2006 and sentenced to 60 days in county jail.  

He was also adjudicated guilty on an aggravated assault charge in 2009 and spent from December 2009 to August 2013 in state prison, according to court records.   

Casey Hickok also spent from August 2008 to February 2009 in state prison after he was adjudicated guilty of aiding a jail escape, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. 

Casey Hickok could have also faced a fine of $250,000, however, Barber waived the fines and cited the defendant’s “financial situation.”   

Casey Hickok accepted a deal in the case after the Lee County Medical Examiner’s Office amended his father’s manner of death and cause of death from blunt force trauma to the head to basilar subarachnoid hemorrhage of the undetermined etiology on June 7. 

During Monday’s sentencing hearing Assistant U.S. Attorney Simon Eth said the autopsy report changes meant his office could no longer proceed to trial with the murder charge, which is why attorneys offered the plea deal.