Glasgow fugitive killer Jordan Owens given life sentence for murder
The 27-year-old fled to Europe after shooting Jamie Lee in a playpark in Castlemilk nearly five years ago
A fugitive who went on the run after shooting dead a man in a Glasgow playpark has been convicted of murder.
Jordan Owens, 27, shot Jamie Lee, 23 in the Castlemilk area in July 2017.
The killing was an escalation of an apparent "low level" feud between the Owens and Lee families.
Owens fled to Europe after the killing
Owens escaped to Europe after the shooting seemingly aided by criminal associates.
The hunt to catch him featured on BBC's Crimewatch 'Most Wanted" list.
He was eventually captured in Portugal's capital Lisbon in December 2019 and hauled back to Scotland to face justice.
He denied murder, but was found guilty following a eight-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Owens was further convicted of attempting to murder Joseph Lee by shooting him on the arm the same night.
Lord Beckett jailed the killer for a minimum 23 years.
A 'pre-meditated' and 'resourceful' murder
The judge told Owens the murder appeared "pre-meditated" as he had the "resourcefulness" to arm himself with a gun and bullet proof vest.
Lord Beckett added: "This was your battle that you chose to escalate by shooting and murder.
"Jamie Lee lost his life in his early 20s. His family have had to suffer his loss and his child will grow up without his father."
Owens showed no emotion as he began his life sentence.
Relatives shouted "love you" as he was lead to the cells.
Jamie's emotional family hugged in the courtroom following the verdicts.
Conviction welcomed by Police Scotland
Owens’ conviction has also been welcomed by Police Scotland.
Detective Superintendent Raymond Brown said: “Owens’s action on that night in 2017 were reckless in the extreme. He caused the death of a young man and put the lives of others in danger.
“He will now face the consequences of his actions. While this does not change what happened, I hope this verdict will bring some closure to his family and friends.
“This was a long and extremely complex investigation and the fact a positive verdict has been reached is thanks to the support of the local community, coupled with the tireless efforts of our dedicated officers and staff, along with the work carried out by a number of partner agencies.”
Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.