Man convicted of murder, weapons charge, sentenced to life in prison

A 54-year-old man was found guilty of murder and a weapons charge this week after a four-day trial in Conway.

Robert Carl Ware was sentenced to life in prison for murder and five years for possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime by Circuit Court Judge Larry Hyman after being convicted, officials said.

Ware was convicted of killing Randy Banks, 49, of Myrtle Beach, who was shot to death on Aug. 7, 2014 at the Wave Rider Motel in Myrtle Beach, officials said.

Officers were called at 2:25 a.m. Aug. 7, 2014 to the motel at 1600 S. Ocean Blvd. for the shooting and found Banks had been killed inside a motel room, authorities said.

Banks was pronounced dead at the scene by Horry County Coroner Robert Edge after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest.

After investigating, authorities identified Ware as a suspect and later picked him up along Pridgen Road in Myrtle Beach without incident.

Banks’ girlfriend, Sabrina Boatwright, testified in Ware’s prosecution at the trial, according to the news release.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Solicitor Stephen Grooms.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 9:32 AM with the headline "Man convicted of murder, weapons charge, sentenced to life in prison."