Brandon Watson will serve a minimum of 19 years in prison for a 2011 murder outside Roanoke Rapids.

Halifax County District Attorney Melissa Pelfrey said Watson took a plea to second-degree murder in the January 22, 2011, shooting death of Antonio Mills on Ward Drive. Two other people were injured in the shooting, which the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said at the time was drug related.

Watson was sentenced Wednesday to 207 to 258 months for the second-degree murder charge and received a consolidated term of 21 to 26 months for two counts of felony assault inflicting serious injury.

Pelfrey said Watson must serve 19 years of the sentence and his maximum works out to 23 years and eight months.

Pelfrey said of the case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner, “We’re always glad when we can bring closure to the court process for a family.”

Court proceedings for a second defendant in the case, Lester Kearney, are pending.

The sheriff’s office reported at the time it received a call of shots fired and learned Mills, 29, was murdered. Two other people in the Ward Drive mobile home off Rhea Smith Road were shot.

As deputies responded an additional 911 call came through that said witnesses were involved in a chase with the suspect vehicle, which was last seen around the Highway 48 and Highway 158 area of Roanoke Rapids.

Investigators learned two men entered the home of Mills and a struggle ensued. The struggle ended after one of the suspects repeatedly shot Mills.