20-year-old Rural Retreat man sentenced to life in prison for 2020 deadly shooting

A 20-year-old Rural Retreat man who was found guilty of first-degree murder in a 2020 shooting was sentenced on Thursday.

According to Wythe County Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Jones, William Akers III was sentenced to life in prison, plus 3 years on his two convictions of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a murder.

As we previously reported, Akers was 17 at the time of the deadly shooting on June 21, 2020, that left 19-year-old Matthew King dead.

[ORIGINAL STORY: 17-year-old will be tried as an adult in deadly Rural Retreat gas station shooting]

In May of 2023, Akers III was found guilty of both charges following a two-day jury trial. Akers was tried as an adult.