Man who yelled homophobic slurs at Charlotte gas station before murder gets life sentence
A judge has sentenced Richard Grier to spend the rest of his life in prison and without parole after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder.
Superior Court Judge George Bell sentenced Grier, 61, on Wednesday. His trial started Feb. 5 and a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
In May 2019, Grier stood in a Dilworth gas station’s parking lot and yelled homophobic slurs at groups of people before zeroing in on one passerby, according to a news release from prosecutors. That prompted an argument, prosecutors said.
The argument turned violent when Grier brandished a pocketknife, then got a bayonet-style knife with a long blade, the release said. He stabbed 32-year-old Andrew Allen 11 times, killing him. Police found Grier fleeing and speeding more than 100 miles per hour, according to the release.
“I know I’m going to jail,” he reportedly told officers when they caught him.
The Charlotte Observer highlighted Grier’s murder charge in 2019. He had prior weapons charges.
By 2013, he had been convicted of 19 felonies. Those convictions would have increased his prison time if he had been convicted in 2013 of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. But prosecutors dismissed the charge.
At the time, they told the Observer that they often have to dismiss cases due to insufficient evidence, including witnesses who aren’t credible, who can’t be found or who refuse to testify.
Ryan Oehrli covers criminal justice in the Charlotte region for The Charlotte Observer. His work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The Observer maintains full editorial control of its journalism.