Man to serve more than 20 years in prison for 2015 Halifax County murder

HALIFAX COUNTY (WSLS 10) - A 50-year-old man pleaded guilty to a 2015 murder in Halifax County on Tuesday.

Larry William Jennings was charged in the April 18, 2015 murder of Allen Boyd and pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court of Halifax County to second-degree murder.

Jennings will be in prison for 21 years and 6 months. That's after 18 years and 6 months of his 40-year sentence was suspended.

As long as the court has imposed a suspended sentence, a defendant must be of good behavior or face the possibility of further jail time, according to Commonwealth's Attorney for Halifax County Tracy Quackenbush Martin.

Jennings was facing two other counts, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possessing a firearm as a felon; however, both were withdrawn.

At the plea hearing, Martin stated that the murder occurred at 2211 Acorn Road in Nathalie. Jennings and the victim, Boyd, were at a social gathering when Jennings shot Boyd following an argument between the two men.

Following the investigation of the matter and a preliminary hearing, Jennings was indicted September 3, 2015.  The case was originally scheduled for trial in December of 2015.  Prior to trial, the court ordered the defendant to be evaluated to determine his competence to stand trial. The posture of the case was delayed approximately nine months before the defendant was restored to competence.