He says he killed a man in self-defense during a drug deal. The jury disagreed

It was a drug deal gone bad that led to the August 2017 fatal shooting of 20-year-old Cory Iwanski, and now his 21-year-old killer faces up to 30 years in prison.

On Friday, a jury found Jacob Brian Harris guilty of manslaughter with a firearm after a week-long trial. Harris had given detectives a detailed confession following his arrest on Sept. 4, 2017, but he claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

Harris will be sentenced on Dec. 7.

“We appreciate the jury’s thoughtful deliberation and recognition that this was not a case of self-defense as the defendant claimed,” Assistant State Attorney Dickey Hough said in an issued statement. “We further hope that the verdict and upcoming sentencing hearing will help bring closure for the victim’s family.”

Harris is being held at the Manatee County jail without bond until he is sentenced.

Iwanski was found just after midnight on Aug. 20 inside his car behind the strip mall at 3126 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton, where he was known to hang out. His mother had reported him missing to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office after he had not been heard from in two days.

On the night he was last seen and subsequently killed, Manatee County had been hit with torrential downpours, flooding out roads, cars and homes, including not far from Iwanski’s home. Iwanski was supposed meet a friend at a local CVS and go to another friend’s home to watch the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing match, but he never made it to either.

Instead, he was found shot dead in the face three days later.

Harris had been at a party watching the boxing match that night, when he told friends that he needed to go meet Iwanski to buy some marijuana.

This story was originally published October 2, 2018 at 7:26 AM.