A Newport News man was convicted last week in Mathews Circuit Court in the May 23 shooting death of Mathews resident Steven Allen Eary.

Chad Casey Whitmore, 22, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter last Wednesday in the death of Eary, 61.

The conviction had been reduced from an initial charge of first-degree murder in a plea agreement reached during a pre-trial hearing. Whitmore entered an Alford plea, under which he did not admit guilt but agreed that there was sufficient evidence to convict him.

Whitmore was also found guilty of shooting or stabbing in the commission of a felony, reduced from a charge of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, as well as unlawful wounding in the concurrent wounding of Nancy Darnell of Mathews. The latter charge had been reduced from a charge of malicious wounding. A second charge of use of a firearm in commission of a felony was nolle prossed.

A sentencing hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13.

According to Mathews Co...