A Columbia County Superior Court jury convicted a Grovetown man of murder Thursday, March 31.
The verdict in the case of Lee Conner began Tuesday. Judge J. Wade Padgett sentenced Conner, 34, to life in prison plus five years.
On March 15, 2018, Conner shot to death a friend, 29-year-old Christopher Dugan at his home within minutes of Dugan going to Conner’s home with a mutual friend. They agree to go to check on the safety of Conner’s wife because the couple had been fighting.
Conner claimed self-defense in the shooting, but the jury rejected that defense. Dugan was shot three times in the back.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.