Theodare Wafer convicted of second-degree murder of Renisha McBride

DETROIT (AP) — Jurors have convicted a suburban Detroit homeowner of second-degree murder and manslaughter for killing an unarmed woman who showed up drunk on his porch last year.

Jurors on Thursday rejected Theodore Wafer’s claim that he acted in self-defense when he fired through his screen door and killed 19-year-old Renisha McBride. Wafer could face up to life in prison, but it is likely his actual sentence will be much shorter.

The 55-year-old Dearborn Heights man tearfully testified that he “wasn’t going to cower” inside his home after being awoken by loud banging on his doors around 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 2. Prosecutors say he should have called 911.

Prosecutors speculated McBride may have been seeking help after crashing her car about a half-mile from Wafer’s home several hours before the shooting.