CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man will spend at least five years in prison for shooting and killing another man outside an apartment complex in southeast Charlotte in 2019, according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office.
Reginald Lawrence, 46, was found shot to death in a parking lot on Pebblestone Drive near East Independence Boulevard over Thanksgiving weekend, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police told Chanel 9.
According to the district attorney, Lawrence was visiting Charlotte and was outside an apartment complex with others when a resident came outside, approached the group and an argument began.
Carlton Benbow, 32, then shot Lawrence killing him and fired at Lawrence’s adult stepchild, but missed. Benbow claimed he was acting in self-defense.
Police said they arrested Benbow the same week as the shooting and charged him with first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After a three-week trial last month, Benbow was found guilty of the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter, as well as assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the district attorney.
The judge sentenced Benbow to 67 to 93 months in prison, the DA’s office said.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- Person shot after argument at northwest Charlotte club, police say
- Stores placed on lockdown after fights break out at Carolina Place Mall
- 9-year-old boy accidentally killed by father while hunting in SC, officials say
- Contracted Santa worker says negative criticism was racially driven
- Popular NoDa restaurants now taking reservations, for a price
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
