By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
A jury has convicted Bradley Paul Blymyer of first-degree murder in the 2006 slaying of Jimmie Edgar Musselwhite.
The jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before returning its verdict this afternoon in Rowan County Superior Court.
The penalty phase of the trial begins Wednesday morning. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
There were numerous gasps in the courtroom and tears on both sides of the aisle as the unanimous verdict was announced.
25-year-old Blymyer, who has been on trial for more than a week, showed no emotion.
According to authorities and testimony by Blymyer’s friend and co-defendant Josh Shaffer, the two men entered Musselwhite’s home on Nov. 10, 2006 to buy or steal prescription pain killers from the 62-year-old man.
During closing arguments, the validity of Shaffer’s testimony was hotly debated by the prosecution and defense.
“He’s lied to law enforcement one time before and he’s admitted to it,” defense attorney Ken Darty said.
However, prosecutors had presented as evidence a piece of a latex glove with Blymyer’s DNA on it found stuck to a piece of tape on Musselwhite’s body.
See Wednesday’s Salisbury Post and www.salisburypost.com for full details.