OCALA, Fla. (Court TV) — A former Florida sheriff’s deputy was sentenced to 25 years in prison after a jury convicted him of manslaughter after he fatally shot his girlfriend while he said he was performing a function test on a rifle.
Leslie Boileau was fired from his job as Marion County sheriff’s deputy and charged with manslaughter in the September 19, 2024, shooting death of 25-year-old Polina Wright at his Ocala home.
Boileau faced up to 30 years in prison at his sentencing. The judge refused his request for a downward departure and sentenced him to 25 years, eight months and 20 days, with 47 days credit for time served.
Leslie Boileau appears in court during his manslaughter trial Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Court TV)
Ocala police found Wright dead from a single shot to the head when they responded to Boileau’s home that night. Investigators said Boileau told them the shooting was an accidental discharge. Boileau testified he and Wright had consumed three margaritas each at dinner before returning home and deciding to clean two firearms.
Boileau said he began cleaning his AR-15 rifle while Wright sat nearby wearing only a blanket. He testified that Wright became curious about the firearms, and he began showing her how to handle his service handgun, demonstrating dry-fire exercises and basic operation.
Boileau told the court he was performing a function test on the rifle when the fatal shot occurred. He testified that he was cradling the weapon in his arms, listening for a clicking sound as part of the test procedure, when he pulled the trigger a second time.
The former deputy said he was looking at the television, not at Wright, when the gun discharged. He immediately called 911 after realizing Wright had been shot.
Boileau admitted to investigators that the shooting looked “really bad,” according to an arrest report.
DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 2 – 10/1/25
- LIVESTREAM: FL v. Leslie Dale Boileau, Day 2 | Deputy Shoots Girlfriend Trial
- Defendant Leslie Boileau took the stand in his defense:
- Boileau testified that on September 19, 2024, he and Wright spent the day together, going to lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse, shopping at Target and TJ Maxx, and then returning home. That evening, they went to a Mexican restaurant where they consumed three alcoholic drinks each during a two-for-one special.
- WATCH: Defendant Leslie Boileau: ‘I Knew Better, Shouldn’t Have Let This Happen’
- After returning home around 8:30 p.m., Boileau said he began cleaning his AR-15 rifle while Wright sat nearby wearing only a blanket. He testified that Wright became curious about the firearms, and he began showing her how to handle his service handgun, demonstrating dry-fire exercises and basic operation.
- Boileau told the court he was performing a function test on the rifle when the fatal shot occurred. He testified that he was cradling the weapon in his arms, listening for a clicking sound as part of the test procedure, when he pulled the trigger a second time.
- The former deputy said he was looking at the television, not at Wright, when the gun discharged. He immediately called 911 after realizing Wright had been shot.
- Under cross-examination, prosecutor Assistant State Attorney Tucker O’Neill pressed Boileau on his handling of the loaded weapons. Boileau acknowledged that the rifle was in his possession and control when it fired, that he intentionally pulled the trigger, and that he was familiar with basic firearm safety rules from his law enforcement training.
- When asked by his lawyer if he intended to shoot Wright, Boileau responded that he did not. He also said he did not intend to discharge the weapon and thought it would only click.
- The defense rested its case following Boileau’s testimony.
- MORE: Ex-deputy says he was performing function test when he shot girlfriend
- State’s closing argument delivered by ASA Tucker O’Neill
- Argues Boileau intentionally omitted actions that led to the death of Wright
- Argues Boileau intentionally aimed the gun at Wright, intentionally pulled the trigger but didn’t intentionally kill Wright
- Argues that the defendant knew the potential outcome but did it anyway
- Cites defendant’s extensive firearms training – over 44 hours of courses
- References 911 call where defendant said “we were pointing guns at each other”
- WATCH: State: Leslie Boileau Didn’t Display ‘Common Sense’ Before Shooting Victim
- Defense’s closing argument:
- Claims everything police knew came from what defendant told them
- Argues defendant clarified he meant “general direction” not directly at each other
- Criticizes detective for not asking follow-up questions or conducting thorough investigation
- Distinguishes between consequences and criminal intent
- Argues pulling the trigger during function test doesn’t establish manslaughter
- Claims no evidence defendant intentionally pointed rifle at victim
- Describes incident as a “horrible accident” not a crime
- Argues defendant’s extensive training made him overconfident, not reckless
- Claims defendant forgot gun was loaded during function test
- Argues this was negligence worthy of lawsuit but not criminal conviction
- State’s rebuttal:
- Gives hypothetical about drunk driving to show accidents can still be crimes
- Argues culpable negligence began when defendant had victim sit across from him with gun
- Points out bullet trajectory was “dead straight” through victim’s head
- Notes how defendant’s story changed from initial statements to trial testimony
- Argues defendant was sober and still made dangerous decisions
- Emphasizes incident was “completely avoidable”
- After just under two hours of deliberations, a jury convicted Boileau of manslaughter.
- A hearing is scheduled for October 14, when a sentencing date is expected to be set.
DAY 1 – 9/30/25
- LIVESTREAM: FL v. Leslie Dale Boileau, Day 1 | Deputy Shoots Girlfriend Trial
- The state and defense delivered openings
- Officer Kyler Labbe introduced the 911 call made by Leslie Boileau to the jury.
- In the call, Boileau can be heard screaming that he shot Wright and needs an ambulance.
- WATCH: Deputy Shoots Girlfriend Trial: Jury Hears Dramatic 911 Call
- When Labbe arrived at the scene, he saw Boileau holding a woman’s head while she sat in a chair. The chair was positioned between the dining room and kitchen with the back facing the wall. Wright was naked.
- An AR-15-style rifle was on a table in the home without a magazine and had a red dot sight.
- WATCH: FL v. Boileau: Chilling 911 Call and Bodycam of First Witness
- Ocala Police Sgt. Brandon Sirolli was one of the first officers to respond to the scene, and took Boileau outside to ask him what happened.
- Ocala Police officer Hagan Simpson described seeing Wright bleeding in the chair.
- The table in front of the victim had guns and cleaning equipment on it.
- Simpson transported Boileau to the police station, and the defendant told him that they were cleaning the guns and pointing them at each other.
- WATCH: ‘I Can’t Believe I Let This F****** Happen’: Former Deputy Screams on Bodycam
- Crime scene technician Daralyn Bolton processed the scene and collected evidence, including multiple firearms, a loose live round and ammunition.
- Bolton documented a bullet strike in the kitchen wall, as well as possible blood spatter on a chair and chalkboard. No alcohol was observed or searched explicitly for.
- WATCH: Deputy Shoots Girlfriend Trial: Jury Sees Gun Used, Crime Scene Photos
- Crime scene technician John McDaniel testified to seeing the home’s dining room table cluttered with firearms and other items, as well as a bullet hole in the south wall of the kitchen.
- Both the victim and chair had been moved by the time of his arrival; the table was also moved from its original position.
- Ocala Police Dept. forensic analyst Karen Patterson said she determined the victim’s phone was on, locked and in airplane mode. She was able to access the device and create a report with the extracted data.
- Ocala Police Sgt. Kyle Kern testified to two interviews conducted with Boileau at the Ocala Police Department — one before the search warrant and one after. The second interview served to clarify his original statement and get a definitive timeline.
- In the first interview, Boileau said that the shooting was an accident during training/dry-fire practice.
- Boileau told police that he unloaded Wright’s gun but forgot to unload his own.
- The two had been training for approximately an hour, and the defendant was teaching the victim to aim, as she had never shot a gun before.
- Wright put the magazine back into the gun during reassembly.
- In the second interview, Boileau described sitting at the table with guns while watching football and recalled telling Wright to be careful.
- Boileau said he was standing behind the victim when she was hit.
- A receipt from the Mexican restaurant where the couple had been earlier in the evening showed six margaritas purchased.
- Boileau spent an hour crying and screaming before the detective arrived.
- Kern told his superiors that he knew the defendant from working at the jail in 2019.
- No alcohol-related items were found at the scene and nothing indicated the defendant was under the influence.
- FDLE firearms expert Kristen Killinger confirmed that the cartridge case and projectile were fired from Boileau’s weapon.
- Associate medical examiner Dr. Rachel Lange testified to the gunshot wound that killed Wright.
- The entrance wound was between the victim’s eyes, and the exit wound was at the back of her head.
- The bullet likely passed through something else before striking the victim.
- A second gunshot wound was on Wright’s index finger. The entrance was at the back of the hand and the bullet went completely through the finger. The injuries were consistent with the bullet striking her finger first, then striking her forehead.
- There was no soot or stippling found on the body, which indicates the weapon was fired from more than two feet away.
- Wright’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was 0.0486, less than half the legal limit of 0.08.
- Lange could not predict the victim’s exact hand position or what she was doing when she was struck.
- The state rested its case-in-chief.
- Boileau’s defense made a motion for judgment of acquittal, arguing that the evidence all corroborates the defendant’s account that the shooting was accidental. The judge denied the motion.
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