A Michigan man convicted of shooting his fiancee in the face at an Olive Garden in 2024 has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison.
A jury convicted Robert Monit, 42, of ten felonies and one misdemeanor in connection with a shooting at an Italian chain restaurant on June 2, 2024. His victim was his fiancee, Melissa Guerra, 42, who later testified in his defense, claiming the shooting was unintentional. Witnesses at the Midland, Michigan, scene testified that they saw Monit attack Guerra. One restaurant patron heard him scream, “The stupid b— deserves to die” before beating her with the gun.
On Wednesday, Midland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Beale sentenced Monit to 20-35 years in prison. His convictions included assault with intent to murder, aggravated domestic assault, six counts of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer, and other firearm-related felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge, according to court records.
Monit shot Guerra in the face, the bullet striking her left ear and exiting through her right eye.
The Midland Daily News covered the trial from the courtroom, which featured testimony from Midland Police Department officers who arrested Monit following the shooting. Officers testified that Monit called himself “Satan” and cursed, bit, and spat at them, all of which was captured on body cameras.
Other witnesses included restaurant customers. Erna Nash, who was having dinner at the Olive Garden with her sister and nephew, testified that she saw Monit holding the gun and firing it. She replied, “I thought it was a joke. “I assumed it was a fake gun.” Nash also testified in court that she heard Monit scream, “The stupid b— deserves to die,” and witnessed him beat Guerra in the head with the gun while she was covered in blood.
Another Olive Garden patron, James Reau, testified that he saw Monit “had the woman by her hair and was pistol-whipping her with his left hand.”
Guerra testified in Monit’s defense after being charged with failing to appear in court. She stated that she did not recall being shot or beaten, and that Monit was not “capable of harming anyone.” Guerra and Monit’s defense team maintained that the shooting was not intentional.
According to the Midland Daily News, Guerra explained during her testimony that her ex-husband was causing Monit great distress. Guerra stated that Monit believed her ex-husband was in the Olive Garden parking lot and was planning to harm them. He almost dialed 911 to contact the police.
Reau had previously testified that when he asked Monit why he shot Guerra, he responded, “They were going to kill me.” “They were waiting in the parking lot.”
Guerra testified that she was unaware Monit was armed that night. She stated that “something changed” in him before the shooting, and she has not spoken with him since. Prosecutors claimed the couple went to the restaurant to break up, which Guerra denied.
“We were two peas in a pod,” she told the court; “That’s my person.”
