The Michigan man who shot and killed Renisha McBride on his porch last fall has been found guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter, Jezebel reported on Thursday. He now faces life in prison, with the possibility of parole.
Theodore Wafer, 54, turned himself into police two weeks after shooting 19-year-old McBride in the face on Nov. 15, 2013. She was unarmed, injured and inebriated on his doorstep in the early morning hours of November 2, likely seeking help after surviving a car crash in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn Heights. There was no sign of forced entry at the home.
Police said she crashed her vehicle into a parked car at about 1 a.m. the day of her death. She left the scene on foot, showing up on Wafer's door several blocks away, two hours later. It remains unclear what she did in the time between her accident and death. A toxicology report released by the Wayne County Medical Examiner's officer showed McBride had a blood alcohol content of .22, but prosecutors maintained this was no reason to shoot the 5'4" woman from inside a locked house, according to The Huffington Post.
The man was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and possession of a felony firearm. At first, Wafer told police he shot McBride by accident. He later claimed he acted in self-defense.
Taking the stand earlier in the week, Wafer pled his case for self-defense. He started to cry as he recounted being awakened early in the morning by someone banging on his door, The Daily News reported.
Wafer allegedly thought there could have been more than one person outside of his home that morning. He said he pulled the trigger in order to defend himself.
"It was either them or me," he said in court, according to The Daily News.
McBride's supporters and her parents said they are pleased with the charge, and praised the Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy for conducting a thorough investigation, The Huffington Post reported.
