Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard Jr. sentenced Kenny Armistad to life in prison plus 50 years on Friday for charges surrounding the killing of Frank Edwards, according to District Attorney Scott Colom.

After a weeklong trial, the jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Armistad guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon by a felon, Colom said.

“Investigators Eric Lewis and Johnny Max Branch worked closely with my office to make sure we had all the evidence we needed to convict (Armistad),” Colom said. “Thankfully, the jury saw that evidence as enough to prove Mr. Armistad’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and we took a person who was dangerous and delusional enough to think he was the Frank Lucas of Columbus off the streets.”

Frank Lucas was a notorious New York criminal in the 20th century. His life was depicted in the 2007 movie “American Gangster.”

Armistad was indicted in November 2021 for the Dec. 30, 2020, murder of Frank Edwards, 20. Edwards was fatally shot in the yard of a house on 12th Avenue South. He was one of a group of people who had reportedly been arguing with two people in a vehicle.

Colom said an AR-15 rifle that was later forensically linked to the crime was recovered from the yard of a church along the route by which Armistad fled, and his phone included incriminating text messages and a picture of the murder weapon.

Colom and Collen Hudson prosecuted the case. Armistad was defended by West Point-based attorney Mark Cliett.

Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.