By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
Four men will go to prison for their involvement in the 2006 shooting death of a Kannapolis woman and the attempted murder of her friend.
At a hearing Monday in Rowan County Superior Court, Jeremy Lamar Hannah, Martquell Treshawn Johnson, Delron Eric White Jr. and Brian Keith Gibson were handed sentences ranging from 11 years to more than 28 years behind bars.
Christina Suzanne Affolter, 26, died instantly in her Walnut Street home May 16 after being shot in the chest with a 12-gauge pistol-grip shotgun.
On Nov. 10, 23-year-old Jobari Dontavious Watson received a sentence of life in prison after pleading guilty to shooting Affolter and attempting to kill her friend, Amos McClorey.
Rowan County District Attorney Bill Kenerly said Watson claimed he was scared and peer pressure drove him to shoot Affolter and McClorey.
“Although I don’t know how you kick in someone’s door but claim to be scared, nevertheless that’s what he said,” Kenerly said.
According to statements they made to authorities and read in court by Kannapolis Police Detective Kay Linker, the five men went to Affolter’s home to rob McClorey while White intended to sell Affolter cocaine.
Linker said Johnson and Gibson stayed in the car because they knew McClorey.
Watson and Hannah, who was known as Streets, kicked in the door. Watson shot McClorey, then Affolter.
Melissa Connell, Affolter’s aunt, refutes the claim that her niece used drugs.
“The autopsy showed there was nothing in her blood,” Connell said.
She said her niece didn’t deserve such a horrible death.
Carolyn McIntyre, Affolter’s grandmother, said all of the men were guilty of murder even if they all did not pull the trigger.
“They didn’t give her a chance. They took her away from us,” she said.
She said she considered all of the men evil and could not forgive them.
“You don’t look like you care,” she said to the men.
Sherry McIntyre asked visiting Superior Court Judge Susan Taylor to give each man the maximum allowable.
Kathy McClorey, Amos McClorey’s mother, said she considers herself lucky because her son is still alive.
“I’m especially disappointed in you Keith,” she said to Gibson.
Gibson had been a guest in her home, she said.
She encouraged the others not to let their life continue in the same manner.
“You have hurt not only us, but your own families,” she said.
Amos McClorey, who is now paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, said he was shot over $40, all the money he had in his pocket.
“I do forgive them,” he said.
McClorey described what happened that day. He said Affolter stood before them with her hands in the air, shaking with fear, and was shot anyway.
“I don’t get it,” he said.
McClorey said he, Gibson and Johnson grew up together.
“I would’ve given them anything I had,” he said.
The sentences the men received:
– Hannah, 21, was sentenced to a minimum of 11 years to a maximum of 14 years.
He was convicted of second-degree murder, felony first-degree burglary and felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery. All of his charges were consolidated.
He was ordered to pay $3,918.18 in restitution to Carolyn McIntyre, Affolter’s grandmother, and $500 to the N.C. Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
Winston-Salem attorney Lisa Costner said this was not typical behavior for Hannah.
“He never thought someone would be shot and killed,” she said.
Costner pointed to Hannah’s family sitting in the front row of the courtroom.
“He has family support. This is not how they raised Jeremy,” she said.
– Gibson, 33, will serve a minimum 22 years to a maximum 28 years.
He was convicted of second-degree murder, which was consolidated with felony attempted first-degree murder and felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The sentence for those convictions is 17 years to slightly more than 21 years.
At the end of that time, Gibson will then serve five to seven years for felony first-degree burglary.
Gibson also must pay Carolyn McIntyre, $3,914.18 and the N.C. Crime Victim Compensation Fund $5,000.
“There are no words to take the pain away,” said Gibson’s attorney, James Randolph.
The Salisbury attorney said Gibson had no intention of killing anyone. Randolph said his client was high at the time of the killing.
“He has no history of violence,” he said.
But Gibson does have a lengthy history of drug use, Randolph said, and “This is what has led to this.”
“I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Gibson said to McClorey.
He asked for forgiveness. McClorey said he accepted Gibson’s apology and forgave him.
– Johnson, 29, will spend 23 years to 281/2 years in prison.
He was convicted of felony second-degree murder, felony attempted first-degree murder and felony first-degree burglary, all of which were consolidated. He also was convicted of felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Johnson will serve 19 years to 23 years for the consolidated charges and four years to more than five years for the conspiracy charge.
“He’s accepted responsibility,” Johnson’s attorney, Salisbury’s James Davis, said.
“I’m sorry. If it’s worth it, I apologize,” Johnson said.
He said he didn’t mean for anything to happen.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t regret what happened,” he said.
Johnson was ordered to pay $8,914.13 in restitution to Carolyn McIntyre and $5,000 to the N.C. Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
– White, 20, will spend a minimum of 221/2 years to a maximum of 28 years in prison.
He was convicted of second-degree murder, felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery and felony attempted first degree murder. He will serve 161/2 years to 191/2 years for those charges, which were consolidated.
After serving that sentence, White will serve six years to more than eight years for felony first-degree burglary.
He was ordered to pay $3,914.13 in restitution to Carolyn McIntyre and $5,000 to the N.C. Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
White’s lawyer, Nancy Gaines of Salisbury, said her client never meant for anyone to get hurt.
She admitted his involvement with drugs early in his life.
White, who was the youngest of the group, went along only to sell Affolter drugs, his attorney said.
White’s mother, Sophia, apologized for her son.
“I am very sorry. If there is anything I can do for you, Amos …” she said, crying.
She said her son was a good child and was raised better than to commit such a crime.
She asked the Affolter family to forgive her son, even if they could not do it that day.
“Just give him a chance. I don’t know how it feels to lose someone,” she said to them.