Conviction: Second Degree Murder
Doc #: 0308413
Parole Review Date: 1-15-07
Sentence: 50 Years
Has Served: 12 years, 5 mnths. to date

 

The victim was a Gaston County resident. On January 1, 1974 at approximately 10:00 PM he was in the 4500 block of Cinderella Rd. trying to buy a gun from Lester Lee Artis and Eric William Owens.  The victim bought and sold drugs and was acquainted with Artis and Owens through mutual friend they had in the neighborhood.   The victim had wanted to buy a gun from them for "protection".  

 

The victim, Artis and Owens were outside in front of a home on Cinderella Rd. when an argument between the three of them broke out.  According to witnesses the victim was beaten and shot several times by both men during the altercation.  When a friend came to his aid the victim told her that they had tried to rob him. 

 

The suspects left the scene and the victim was transported to the hospital where he died from multiple gun shot wounds.  Owens and Artis were tried and convicted for the murder of the victim and received fifty years in prison each for Second Degree Murder.

Owens had murdered another person in Charlotte NC on 07-23-1981.  This person was the stepfather of his girlfriend.  He went to this victim's home and shot him five times.  He pled guilty to the charge of second degree murder on 05-10-1982 and was released from prison on 12-15-1992.