Johnny Norwood, Jr., to serve 25 years for 2015 murder in Minot

A Florida man will serve 25 years in prison in North Dakota after admitting to a 2015 murder in Minot.

Twenty-seven-year-old Johnny Norwood, Jr., pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of murder and attempted murder.

Investigators say that Norwood fatally shot 30-year-old Roger Falana in a downtown Minot alley on Nov. 29, 2015.

They say Norwood also shot a second person, who survived.

Judge David Nelson, who came out of retirement to oversee the case, accepted the joint agreement of a 40-year sentence, with Norwood to serve 25.

“The evidence is strong that Mr. Norwood is responsible for the death of Roger Falana and for the injuries to Jane Doe, which resulted from him shooting at her. You take a gun into an alley full of people and fire it, and you should expect that there’s going to be some pretty catastrophic consequences,” said Kelly Dillon, deputy state’s attorney for Ward County.

Norwood would have stood trial next week on the charges.

The state agreed to drop a third charge of reckless endangerment.

Probation will be determined at a later time.