ORANGE COUNTY, Fl. (WILX) - The man convicted of killing Michigan State University basketball star Adreian Payne has been sentenced to life in prison.

Lawrence Dority, 31, was charged with fatally shooting Payne in Florida in 2022.

READ MORE: ‘I shot him’ -- Orange County police say there’s cause for First Degree Murder charge in Payne death

After a lengthy legal battle, Dority was found guilty of second degree murder by a jury on July 30, 2025.

Dority was sentenced to life in prison on Friday, Aug. 29.

Dority was charged with killing Payne in May 2022. The defendant initially told investigators that Payne shot at him, and that he shot back in self-defense.

Officials later confirmed Payne did not have a gun when he was shot.

Police initially arrested Dority on a first degree murd

See Full Page