photo credit: serving // Shutterstock

Michael O’Neal has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of 22-year-old Steven Rouse. O’Neal fatally stabbing Rouse behind a Walmart in Greenville in 2015. Curtis Wade, a second suspect. also faces a felony murder charge. He will be back in court in early June.

Police said it happened behind the Walmart Neighborhood Market near Park West Drive in October 2015.

According to WNCT, O’Neal and Wade are accused of stabbing Rouse to death after chasing the man through a field, running from Park West to the Walmart. They said Rouse never fought back nor had a knife in his hand when the altercation occurred.

The state argued O’Neal is guilty of first-degree murder, as opposed to second-degree murder of voluntary manslaughter.

O’Neal’s attorneys argued O’Neal had injuries from the attack and said he was simply trying to defend himself.

Written by Clarke Jones