Life in prison plus 60 months - that's what two Portsmouth men were sentenced to for their roles in the 2010 shooting death of a man during an attempted robbery at the Gold Shop in Portsmouth.
Kevin Stevens, Jr., 21, and Xavier Holley, 20, were both sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
According to testimony and evidence during their trials earlier this year, Stevens, Holley and their co-conspirators attempted to rob the Gold Shop twice in October of 2010. During the second attempted robbery, Stevens shot and killed Robert Nelson using a gun supplied by Holley. Nelson had been watching the Gold Shop for a friend at the time.
Before the sentencing, Nelson's widow, brother and a fellow church member spoke about Nelson, saying he was a man who was always helping others, including the youth at his church.
The judge asked Stevens and Holley if they would like to say anything. Holley quietly apologized; Stevens said he had nothing to say.
Three other defendants in this case have already been sentenced.
