Lansing man, 19, convicted of murder in 'dice game' robbery and shooting

LANSING - A Lansing teenager faces mandatory life in prison after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of a Detroit man at a Lansing apartment complex.

Neal Prince, 19, was one of a group of men who killed Donovan Barfield, 28, during a robbery at the housing complex on Bayview Drive in Lansing, just west of the Ingham County-Eaton County line, authorities said.

An Eaton County Circuit Court jury found Prince guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder after a trial that began last Friday and ended on Thursday. First-degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without parole.

Co-defendant Willie Lee Fletcher, 16, is awaiting trial on a murder charge in connection with Barfield's death.

Prince and Fletcher were part of a group of men who set up a dice game with Barfield as part of a plan to rob him, according to testimony in Prince's preliminary examination.

Barfield was shot to death, and the assailants stole shoes, neck chains and a backpack from the apartment, witnesses said.

Some of the stolen goods were found at an apartment where Prince was living, and he was photographed wearing items taken in the robbery. according to testimony in the preliminary hearing. He told police he bought the items through an online shopping site.

The testimony indicated Fletcher shot Barfield, and Prince was not a triggerman.

Prince was 18 when was charged last January. Fletcher was 15 when he was charged as an adult in May.

Prince is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 27 by Judge John Maurer. An attorney representing him declined to comment on the case Friday.

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Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.