A 74-year-old man from Virginia is going to prison, probably for the rest of his life, for killing a man who had knocked on his door by accident.
The Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in a press release that Leroy Frank King was given a 45-year sentence for killing Albert Patrick Johnson, who was 38 years old. The judge took away 20 years from his sentence, so he will now spend 25 years in prison. He would be on probation for an extra three years after he got out of jail.
The event took place at an apartment in the 2900 block of Pleasant Avenue in Norfolk around 5:30 p.m. on June 20, 2023.
Prosecutors say Johnson had knocked on King’s door earlier that day by accident because he thought it was the home of a nearby friend. When Johnson knocked on the door again, King got a gun and went outside, where he shot the person in the neck and waist. On the scene, medics said King was dead.
King had shot someone before. According to prosecutors, he was previously found guilty of shooting a neighbor in 2003, but the victim did not die.
This April, a jury found King guilty of second-degree murder and murder with a firearm involved. Even though he had been found guilty, King continued to deny it at his sentencing earlier this month, saying he had “legally entitled” to shoot Johnson.
Ramin Fatehi, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, said, “Mr. King had no right to shoot the victim, and he should have known better at his age and based on his past behavior.” I’m sorry that Mr. Johnson’s family had to lose a loved one in such an unnecessary way. He didn’t do anything wrong. The fact that Mr. King doesn’t think he did anything wrong shows that he is still a danger to society and that his sentence fits his crime.
Fatehi said that Johnson was unable to work because of injuries he got as a teenager.
His death notice said that Johnson wanted to be a famous rapper. His family and friends said he had a “captivating spirit.”
“Albert was brave and strong; he overcame many problems in his life.” His “out-of-this-world” personality and the love he had for his family and friends will be remembered, along with the laughter and joy he brought to everyone who knew him, the obituary said.
