One of three men convicted in the killing of a West Palm Beach woman was re-sentenced Wednesday to about half the prison time that the trial judge wanted him to serve. Robert Messer, 25, was convicted of manslaughter in the July 13, 1995, death of Denise O’Neill, 28, who was abducted and murdered by a neighbor and his two friends. In 1998, Broward Circuit Judge Susan Lebow sentenced Messer to 15 years in prison, telling him that he was “scum” and probably could have saved O’Neill’s life. The judge sentenced him above the guidelines, she said at the time, because the crime was especially heinous, the victim suffered extraordinary trauma or cruelty, and the crime was committed to avoid arrest. But the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled that Messer’s sentence should be reduced because he was not responsible for the cruelty of O’Neill’s death. The two men convicted earlier this year of O’Neill’s murder, Luis “Chris” Caballero, 27, and Isac Quincey Brown, 25, made her death heinous, the court said. On Wednesday, Lebow re-sentenced Messer to the maximum possible penalty — seven years and nine months in state prison. With credit for time served since his August 1995 arrest, Messer could be released in less than 2 years. In court on Wednesday, Messer told a reporter that he wanted to apologize to O’Neill’s family. “Just tell them I’m sorry,” he said. “Tell them to please realize that I’m not the one who killed her … I’m not the bad guy.” Messer said he now wishes he had called police instead of staying in the apartment where he saw Caballero and Brown choke the 28-year-old woman. His words rang hollow to the victim’s sister, Kelly O’Neill-Lynch.

“He watched her struggle for her life and dumped her body,” O’Neill-Lynch said. “He’s the epitome of a bad guy.” Caballero, Brown and Messer were all charged with first-degree murder in the death of O’Neill. But in separate trials, three juries found that they bore different levels of responsibility for the killing. The jury in Messer’s case found him guilty of manslaughter, or causing a death by criminal negligence, not intentional murder. Messer stayed in Caballero’s apartment while O’Neill was held hostage and tortured for the personal identification numbers to her debit and credit cards. He stuffed his fingers in his ears but was still able to hear O’Neill scream and choke as she was being killed, according to testimony in the trial. The jury in Brown’s case found him guilty of second-degree murder and Lebow sentenced him to life in prison. Caballero was convicted of first-degree intentional murder and the jury in his case recommended that he get the death penalty. Lebow, who must give great weight to the jury’s advice, has not yet sentenced him. Paula McMahon can be reached at pmcmahon@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4533 Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky