Guard guilty in parking lot murder

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia Beach security guard was found guilty for killing a man in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in 2011.

According to Macie Pridgen with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, 29-year-old Lester Ray Belmar, Jr. was found guilty of second degree murder Thursday following a two day trial.

Belmar worked as a security guard with a company that was hired to work at club Hangar 9 on the 300 block of Lynnhaven Parkway on the evening of May 20, 2012. When the club closed down that evening, patrons and security guards made their way to a nearby 7-Eleven, where several fights broke out.

Pepper-spray was used to break up the crowd in the parking lot, even though Belmar's company was not asked to serve at 7-Eleven. Darrel Spencer and two other men had continued an altercation that started inside the club to the parking lot.

Someone reportedly fired shots from a car leaving the 7-Eleven parking lot. Spencer returned fire once, striking the driver of a car not involved in the dispute with him.

Belmar then fired two shots at Spencer, one in the back of his head, killing him instantly. Belmar told police he did not know whether Spencer was armed or not, and in court testified he would not have known what Spencer would have done with a gun even if he had one.

Belmar's defense claimed he was justified in shooting Spencer to protect others in the parking lot.

Later, Belmar admitted he intended to kill Spencer, and the Commonwealth argued Spencer was about to get back into his car when he was shot by Belmar.

Belmar could face between eight and 68 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 7, 2013.

In addition to the second degree murder charge, Belmar was also found guilty of malicious wounding and two counts of use of firearm.