A Mooresville man charged with first-degree murder in a 2021 shooting that killed an eight-year-old Statesville girl and injured her seven-year-old cousin could be released from prison in about ten years after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors. According to the Iredell Free News, 23-year-old Nasir Cor’Lee Turner entered an Alford plea last week in Iredell County Superior Court to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and conspiracy to commit second-degree murder. His jury trial had been scheduled to begin this week.

Under the agreement, the Assistant District Attorney dismissed charges of first-degree murder and discharging a firearm into occupied property inflicting serious injury. Prosecutors also dropped three felony drug charges that were filed against Turner while he was being held in the Iredell County Detention Center. The charges stem from the June 28, 2021, shooting that claimed the life of eight-year-old Ah’Miyahh Howell and seriously injured her seven-year-old cousin.

According to the published report, after accepting the plea and Turner’s admission to an aggravating factor in the case, Judge Michael D. Duncan imposed the agreed-upon sentence of 180 to 228 months in prison, or approximately 15 to 19 years. With credit for time already served and parole eligibility considerations, Turner could potentially be released in about a decade.

Had Turner been convicted of first-degree murder, he would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. Iredell County District Attorney Sarah Kirkman declined to comment to the Iredell Free News on the plea agreement, citing the ongoing prosecution of Turner’s co-defendants.

[Story and photo of Turner courtesy of www.iredellfreenews.com]