By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
A man who testified against his best friend will serve more than 20 years in prison for his involvement in the 2006 beating death of Jimmie Edgar Musselwhite.
Joshua Lee Shaffer, 25, was convicted today in Rowan Superior Court and will serve between 19.7 years and 25 years.
Prosecutors reached a plea agreement with Shaffer, reducing his first-degree murder charge to second-degree. He was also convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering and felony larceny.
Shaffer testified in court in August against childhood friend Bradley Paul Blymyer, 25, saying he hit 62-year-old Musselwhite over the head with a baseball bat, stabbed him repeatedly and cut his throat.
Shaffer said on the stand he hit the man twice with the bat, which belonged to Musselwhite, and then he left the room. He contends that his friend continued to inflict the injuries to Musselwhite that led to his death.
Shaffer admitted to a prescription pill addiction. He and Blymyer went to Musselwhite’s home to buy pills, “one way or another,” he told jurors.
He will receive credit for the two years he spent in the Rowan County jail.
See Wednesday’s Post for more details.