Andrew Michael Sanders

Andrew Michael Sanders was a 20-year-old male from Pensacola, Florida, who was working to build a life for his family. According to his mother, he was a family man who loved his fiancée and their son. He was proud of his accomplishments, which included having a house, a car, and a management position by the age of 18. Friends and family remembered him as kind, thoughtful, and funny. He was also a musician and worked at Dunkin.

On the evening of April 24, 2025, Sanders went to the 200 block of Washburn Street to meet several individuals for what authorities believe was a prearranged sale of a pound of marijuana. After Sanders entered the backseat of a gray Chevy Malibu, a struggle broke out. A witness living nearby called 911 to report hearing banging on the car windows, as if someone was trying to get out. The witness then heard a single gunshot, and the Malibu sped away from the scene. A friend who had accompanied Sanders to the meeting tried to follow the car but lost sight of it.

Sanders was reported missing that same evening. The following morning, on April 25, the gray Chevy Malibu was found abandoned in an open field about a mile away, near the intersection of Currier Place and Salem Drive. Deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office discovered Andrew Sanders’ body inside the vehicle. He had died from a gunshot wound to the head.

The investigation led authorities to identify three suspects. Michael Polnitz Jr., 21, was arrested and charged with homicide. Shortly after, 17-year-old Kaleb Bonner turned himself in on May 6 and was also charged with homicide. The third suspect, 19-year-old Antonio Larkins, was located and arrested on May 10. Investigators determined that Larkins had initiated the meeting under the guise of a drug deal with the intention of robbing Sanders. They believe Bonner fired the fatal shot during the struggle.

In June 2025, an Escambia County grand jury indicted Michael Polnitz, Kaleb Bonner, and Antonio Larkins on charges of first-degree felony murder for their roles in Andrew Sanders' death. As of that month, all three men were being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail while awaiting further court proceedings.