2 Convicted of Murdering Man Who Issued Dare

Two Lake View Terrace men were found guilty of first-degree murder Thursday in the death of a man who dared the two to shoot him during a burglary of his Lake View Terrace home.

A San Fernando Superior Court jury found James Lester Settle Jr., 25, guilty of murder, burglary and assault with a firearm in the April 9, 1985, killing of Charles Lovant Preyor, 54. A separate jury Wednesday found Kenry Eugene Lewis, 25, guilty of the same charges.

Two separate juries heard the joint trial, which lasted two weeks, before Judge John H. Major.

Both men face sentences ranging from 31 years to life in state prison, Deputy Dist. Atty. Rosalie L. Morton said. The murder convictions include an additional two-year mandatory sentence for using a firearm, she said.

William Vincent, who was at Preyor’s house the night of the killing, said two masked men forced their way in by the front door and ordered him and Preyor to lie on the living room floor, according to court records.

Then Preyor stood up and shouted, “Go ahead and shoot me,” and was immediately shot in the neck with a .22-caliber rifle, the records said. Preyor died a short time later, police said.

An acquaintance of Lewis and Settle, in exchange for immunity from prosecution, testified that he accompanied the two men to the burglary, Morton said.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled June 26.