Man sentenced to life without parole in Southpark murder trial

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chauncey Sterling's face was streaked with tears as he was led out of the courtroom Thursday night.

Moments earlier, a jury found him guilty of felony murder in the death of Bob Barber, a hospital executive killed during a robbery attempt off Fairview Road in south Charlotte.

"No winners here today. Everybody lost something. But we think justice was served," said Barber's stepson, Eric Hartley.

Jurors heard a confession from Sterling, who said he planned to rob someone to get money for his two small children.

Prosecutors had Sterling show jurors Thursday how he held the gun moments before pulling the trigger.

A verdict came less than two hours after jurors got the case.

"They came back very quickly and I think that speaks volumes for the case we had," said prosecutor Clayton Jones.

Before sentencing, Bob Barber's wife looked at her husband's killer and told him he'd robbed them of their lives together.

"I hope you can ask your god for forgiveness while I ask my god to help me forgive you," said Debbie Barber.

Bob Barber's sister Betty spoke too, saying not even the guilty verdict erases the consequences she's felt since the shooting.

"Two years, two months, three days and it's not over for any of us. We hurt and will hurt for a long time," Betty Barber said.

As Sterling's family broke down in court, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

After the sentencing, the pain was obvious for both families.

As one of Sterling's relatives was led out of the courtroom sobbing, Bob Barber's wife watched. She slowly shook her head in empathy and then wiped away tears of her own.

WSOC