The conviction of Clinton Eric Burke, 22, formerly of Hillsville, stems from the shooting deaths of two people and the wounding of another at a mobile home in a remote area of Fancy Gap in 2007.
A seven-woman, five-man jury had recommended the lengthy sentence for Burke on Nov. 13 after deliberating about three hours. They had heard testimony pointing to his guilt in the shotgun slayings of George Adam Fulton, 19, and Dustin Bond, 17, shortly before midnight nearly a year before on Nov. 12, 2007, at Fulton’s mobile home at 268 Frog Spur Lane.
Bond’s sister, Amanda Ellen Bond, 20, who lived at the same address, also was injured during the incident — receiving a minor graze wound to a shoulder. She was able to provide a vague description of the shooter that authorities used to help track down Burke, who has been in custody since his 2007 arrest.
The shootings were drug-related, and evidence also was presented at the November trial showing there had been bad blood between Burke and Fulton in connection with an earlier theft of guns. Burke had been concerned about Fulton and Amanda Bond testifying against him, testimony showed.
A co-defendant in the case, Amanda Lynn Payne, 27, of Hillsville, who was with Burke on the night of the murders, was a key witness against him. He also was found guilty of burglary in the incident as well as three counts of using a firearm in committing the crimes.
Judge Brett Geisler, in delivering the final disposition of the case last week, decided to go along with the jury’s sentencing recommendations despite the urging of a defense attorney for a lesser punishment. Geisler said he would stick with the wishes of the jury, calling it “the conscience of the community.”
The sentence ensures that the 22-year-old Burke will remain behind bars at least until his 50s, and possibly until he is a geriatric.
Geisler also ordered that Burke pay restitution of nearly $10,000 to a state fund that compensates crime victims, which supplied money for the funerals of the two people murdered.
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