VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
— A
North Carolina man has been convicted of first-degree murder
in the June 2023 shooting death of a 20-year-old man in a Virginia Beach neighborhood. A
Virginia jury found Jamieson Francis guilty
on Thursday after a multi-day trial.
Victim Shot Multiple Times in Virginia Beach Neighborhood
The victim,
Lonnie Harvey Jr.
, was shot and killed around
11:30 p.m. on June 15, 2023
, near
Garfield Avenue by Northgate Park
. Virginia Beach police responded to reports of gunfire and found Harvey suffering from
multiple gunshot wounds
. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Residents told
13News Now
they heard
a rapid series of gunshots
just as they were putting children to bed. One neighbor described seeing paramedics
working frantically
to try to save Harvey’s life in the street.
Suspect Captured in Florida, Extradited to Face Charges
Francis, originally from North Carolina, was
arrested by U.S. Marshals in Florida
nearly a week after the shooting. He was then
extradited to Virginia
, where he faced charges of
first-degree murder
and
use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
.
Authorities did not release a motive, but confirmed that
Francis was quickly identified as the primary suspect
following the incident.
Sentencing Scheduled for November
Court officials said Francis is scheduled to be
sentenced on November 3
. He remains in custody and faces
a possible life sentence
based on Virginia’s murder statutes.
This conviction closes a chapter on a case that deeply affected the
Northgate Park community
, where neighbors and family members held vigils in the days following the shooting.
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