Jury finds man guilty in shooting outside of Cleveland Mall

A store clerk who shot and killed an alleged shoplifter will spend 12 to 15 years in prison.

Jacob Wesley Isenhour, 26, was recently found guilty of second-degree murder in Cleveland County Superior Court for the death of Bryan Allen Francis.

Francis was killed on Dec. 14, 2020, in Shelby outside of Cleveland Mall.

According to police, Isenhour worked for Dunham's Sports, and when he heard the alarm go off at the store, he followed Francis outside of the mall.

At the time of the incident, police told The Star that Isenhour fatally shot Francis on the edge of a wooded area near the Hampton Inn, a few hundred feet west of the mall.

Francis lived in Fairmont, West Virginia, though he frequented Shelby.

According to his obituary, he was a talented welder and enjoyed a challenging job.

Of all his titles, “Uncle Bry” was his favorite and he loved his niece, nephew, and other children within his family tremendously. He was a part of Guardians for Children for a period of time, an organization which advocates for children. Francis had a soft spot for dogs, specifically pit bulls. His dog, Jix, was his faithful companion and gave him a form of happiness that only a dog could bring, his obituary said.

His obituary read, “Bryan was known to say, ‘I can sleep when I’m dead,’ when questioned about his on-the-go, ever changing lifestyle. Sleep peacefully, Bryan. You are forever remembered and forever loved.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Jury finds man guilty in shooting outside of Cleveland Mall