Man convicted of Gastonia murder to be released on parole

A convicted murderer who shot and robbed a pizza delivery man in 1991 will be paroled from prison in October 2027, according to the North Carolina Parole and Parole Commission.

Jimmy Lee Floyd, 55, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in the April 1992 death of Keith Hilderbrand, 37, according to a Gaston Gazette article published at the time of his conviction.

Floyd, who was 22 at the time of the killing, was among four suspects charged in the shooting, but he admitted to being the mastermind of the shooting, telling police that he had been drinking beer and wine all day on April 29, 1991, before meeting with several people, according to the report. newspapers, other men in the Gastonia house.

The four men decided to order pizza and rob the delivery guy, and when Hilderbrand arrived at the house, one of the other men handed Floyd a gun and he hid behind the couch.

Floyd told police he then stood up, closed both eyes and pulled the trigger, shooting Hilderbrand once. He said he continued to drink beer while other men carried Hilderbrand’s body into a wooded area. The men stole Hilderbrand’s pizza and change.

After Floyd pleaded guilty, a five-week trial took place to determine whether he would receive the death penalty. Ultimately, the jury deadlocked 10-2, with 10 jurors voting for the death sentence. Because the trial ended in a jury verdict, Floyd was sentenced to life in prison. Its release date is October 5, 2027.

This article originally appeared in The Gaston Gazette: Man convicted of Gastonia murder to be released on parole