Man jailed for murder of dad near Glasgow play park
- Published
Jamie Lee died in July 2017
A man who went on the run across Europe for nearly three years has been convicted of murder.
Jordan Owens, 27, shot Jamie Lee, 23, near to a children's play park in Castlemilk, Glasgow on 8 July 2017.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how the killing was an escalation of an apparent "low-level" feud between the Owens and Lee families.
Owens was further convicted of attempting to murder Joseph Lee by shooting him in the arm the same night.
Lord Beckett jailed Owens for a minimum of 23 years.
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 twenties. His family have had to suffer his loss and his child will grow up without his father."
Owens escaped to Europe after the shooting and the hunt to catch him featured on BBC's Crimewatch Most Wanted list.
The 27-year-old was eventually captured in Portugal's capital Lisbon in December 2019 and sent back to Scotland.
He denied murder but was found guilty following a eight-day trial.
Confrontation
The court had heard how Jamie had been in a "row" with Owens and then there was a confrontation between members of their respective families.
Jurors heard of young men being armed and wearing masks amid chaotic scenes.
It was then next to the children's play area in Ballantay Terrace in Castlemilk where Owens murdered Mr Lee.
One resident recalled hearing four shots. She also told police how Owens had a gun which had a "long silver pistol bit".
Mobile phone footage showed Jamie slumping to the ground at a nearby grassy hill.
His mum was one of those who rushed to his aid.
An emotional Ann-Frances Dearie told the trial: "He put his head on my legs and I just told him to lie down.
"He was saying that he was too warm and that it was sore."
Jamie was rushed to hospital but later died as a result of gun shot wounds to the legs.
'Reckless in the extreme'
After the verdict, defence QC Brian McConnachie said: "So far as background, there had been for a period of time, maybe as far as 2012, some relatively low-level feud between the families."
Det Sup 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."