CHESAPEAKE, Va., Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A Virginia man was convicted Friday of shooting two young Mormon missionaries, killing one of them.
The jury deliberated for two days before finding James Boughton Jr. guilty of the murder of Morgan Young, The Virginian-Pilot reported. Jurors were told to return Monday for the penalty phase of the trial.
Young, 21, from Bountiful, Utah, and Joshua Heidbrink, 19, of Greeley, Colo., were going door to door in Chesapeake, Va., in January 2006 when they were shot. Investigators said that the two encountered Boughton as he ran away after attempting to kill a local resident, Gregory Banks Jr.
Heidbrink, although wounded in the neck and shoulder, was able to go for help. Young was shot in the head and died at the scene.
During the trial, Boughton's lawyer, Andrew Sacks, argued that he had an alibi for the killing. He said that Mario Felton, 17, had a dispute with Banks over drug money.
Felton did admit the shootings but later said that he did so to help Boughton.
