photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Nicholas Beaver is pictured at a hearing Friday, October 10, 2025, in Douglas County District Court.

A defendant who was convicted of murdering a man in front of the Lawrence Public Library in 2024 has been ordered to serve more than 51 years in prison.

Judge Stacey Donovan on Wednesday handed down the 620-month sentence requested by the state and denied the defense’s motion for a downward departure in sentencing.

A Douglas County jury in July found Nicholas Laron Beaver, 34, guilty of first-degree murder in the March 6, 2024, shooting death of 39-year-old Vincent Lee Walker. The jury, after deliberating for just two hours, rejected Beaver’s claim that he had killed Walker in self-defense.

photo by: Contributed

Vincent Lee Walker

This is a developing story and will be updated.