Man gets 43 years for Gold Shop crime

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A Portsmouth man was sentenced to 43 years in prison for his role last year in the robbery of the Gold Shop, which resulted in the murder of someone working there.

Montarius Murry, 21, was sentenced in Norfolk federal court Thursday on conspiracy charges in connection with the robbery, a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

On Oct. 6, 2010, Murry and his co-conspirators attempted to rob the Gold Shop, a pawn business in Portsmouth.

During the attempted robbery, one of Murry's co-conspirators shot and killed Robert Nelson, who was watching the shop for his friend.

According to court documents, Murry admitted to planning and participating in the conspiracy to rob the Gold Shop, but did not personally shoot Nelson. He also did not instruct anyone to shoot Nelson, or agree with any other person that Nelson should be shot.

Murry previously pled guilty to the charges of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm resulting in murder.