VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A man was recently convicted in connection with a fatal shooting on Garfield Avenue that occurred in 2023.
Jamieson Josiah Lee Francis, 24, was found guilty of first-degree murder and use of a firearm following a four-day trial.
According to evidence presented in court, on June 15, 2023, Francis and the victim, 20-year-old Lonnie “L.J.” Harvey, Jr., were at a family gathering in the 700 block of Garfield Avenue nearby Rosemont Road.
Around 11:25 p.m., officers were dispatched to the residence after witnesses at the party stated they heard gunshots coming from the street. The witnesses then walked outside where they saw Harvey suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Officials then said Francis fled the scene while leaving his firearm behind, which was eventually traced back to him. Harvey was then taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Following the shooting, Francis hid in the neighborhood, where he then booked a one-way flight to Florida just 48-hours after the incident. About a week after Francis arrived to Florida, he was arrested by U.S. Marshals. Francis told police at a later date that the shooting was in self-defense.
Francis is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3, 2025.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.