SALISBURY — Willie Earl Williams Jr. was found guilty Thursday morning of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Sabrina Curzi and Allen Wright.

On Aug. 3, 2018, Curzi and Wright went to Town Creek Park off East Council Street in response to a call from Curzi’s 19-year-old son, Michael, who had called his mother to say he’d been assaulted.

In a confrontation with several members of a gang who were at the park for a cookout, Williams managed to wrest a gun away from Curzi, then shot and killed Wright, then Curzi.

A jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday afternoon and half an hour Thursday before returning guilty verdicts of first-degree murder in both cases. They had been given the option of finding Williams guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or not guilty.

Superior Court Judge William Stetzer then sentenced Williams to two consecutive life sentences without parole.

Look for a detailed account of the case, the verdict, and statements from family and the defendant in Saturday’s Salisbury Post.