Crime

Man Sentenced for 2013 Murders at San Francisco Store

CrimeJan 05, 2018

Man Sentenced for 2013 Murders at San Francisco Store

He received three life sentences after being convicted in the killing of two jewelry store employees and the attempted murder of the store’s owner.

San Francisco--A man convicted in the 2013 murder of two San Francisco jewelry store employees and the attempted murder of the store’s owner was given three life sentences for his crimes.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office confirmed that 27-year-old Barry White Jr. was sentenced to what amounts to 266 years in prison Wednesday.

According to court documents, White ordered a 14-karat gold chain from the Victoga Inc. jewelry store inside the San Francisco Gift Center and Jewelry Mart in May 2013.

He paid $5,573.43 for the piece, but was dissatisfied once he picked it up from the store the following month, saying it was lighter than he had expected. He then made an appointment in late June to discuss the issue with the store’s owner, Vic Hung.

When they met, Hung offered him a $700 refund, but White turned it down and asked for $1,000 back. Hung refused.

White returned to the store in July 2013. According to court documents, he waited for staff to finish working with clients and for the customers to leave before approaching Hung and again asking for a $1,000 refund, which Hung refused.

The court documents state that White then pulled out a gun and shot Hung multiple times at close range before killing store employees Lina Lim, 51, and 35-year-old Khin Min. Hung survived.

White left the store, after which time nearby police responding to 911 calls saw him and approached him, initially thinking he was a victim, court documents state. After realizing he wasn’t and asking him to get down on the ground, White ran into a nearby restaurant and started shooting at the responding officers.

He surrendered once he ran out of bullets.

A San Francisco jury found White guilty of 16 charges--two counts of murder, seven counts of attempted murder, possession of an assault weapon and six counts of assault with a firearm upon a peace officer--in July 2017.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

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