Man gets life without parole for 2016 Duplin County murder

KENANSVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - An Onslow County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of killing a Duplin County man more than seven years ago.

A jury on Tuesday convicted Deonte Meadows of first-degree murder for the 2016 shooting death of Dondi Hutcherson, Jr.

The 18-year-old Duplin County man was shot at least eight times at his home on Blackmore Road, outside of Wallace on July 8, 2016. Authorities say Hutcherson was home alone at the time when Meadows broke in and shot him.

The sheriff’s office said Meadows was a validated gang member and had previous convictions for assault inflicting serious injury, felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, possession of firearm by felon, felony flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, several property crimes, and other misdemeanors.

Meadows was sentenced to life without parole for the murder, and another year and a half to two and a half years for possession of a firearm by a felon.

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