Judge find St. Louis man guilty in deadly drug deal

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A St. Louis man has been convicted in a deadly drug deal two years ago.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that 31-year-old Ricky Bolden stood trial Monday before a judge instead of a jury in the March 2016 shooting of 55-year-old Steven Sunkel, of Hillsboro. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and 11 other counts, including illegal gun possession. Bolden was originally charged with first-degree murder.

Sunkel was found unconscious and not breathing in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. He died at a hospital.

Prosecutors say Bolden decided to kill Sunkel when Sunkel tried to drive off with Bolden’s drugs without paying. Bolden’s lawyer argued that Bolden shot Sunkel in self-defense when Sunkel tried to run over Bolden with a car.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 23.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com