PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) - A Virginia man convicted of murder in the brutal 2012 slayings of a couple will be tried in the deaths of two other people.
The Virginian-Pilot reported that 37-year-old Winston Bernard Black Jr. was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Ann Marie Dozier Gilkerson and second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of James David Gough Jr.
Black herded Gough, who met with Black to buy drugs, into a bathroom and tortured him before stabbing him repeatedly, according to court transcripts. Police say Black had been involved with the “Money Team,” a violent drug ring. Black and drug ring accomplices then placed Gough’s body into the back seat of a Jeep Cherokee and lit the vehicle on fire, according to the court transcripts.
Black then went up the street and stabbed Gough’s girlfriend, Gilkerson, at least 123 times in case she knew about Gough’s visit, prosecutors said.
Defense attorney Dianne Ringer told jurors the prosecution’s case shouldn’t be trusted, citing inconsistencies in witness testimonies. But prosecutor Cedric Wiggins said the testimonies were consistent when it mattered. Two witness testimonies were provided from members of the “Money Team” who were also tried and convicted of murder earlier this week.
The jury has recommended 70 years in prison for Black. He’ll be sentenced March 19.
Black also will be tried for the 2011 slaying of 44-year-old Samuel Martin. Court filings say Martin showed up at a house where Black and other members of the “Money Team” were and started yelling. An accomplice then invited Martin inside, where Black and the crew bound his legs, arms and mouth with duct tape and beat him with a hammer and poured boiling water on him throughout the course of a day. After Martin died, his body was dumped behind a vacant house and set on fire.
According to court transcripts, Gough was tortured in a similar fashion.
Additionally, Black will be tried for murder in February in Henrico County for the 2016 fatal death of 20-year-old Walter Adams.
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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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