Jury convicts man of murder in Berkeley shooting over minor verbal confrontation

Will Watson, 29, was convicted of murdering 19-year-old Gregory Ignacio Jr. in a 2016 shooting.

OAKLAND — In its second day of deliberation, an Alameda County jury returned a guilty verdict against a man on trial for murdering a 19-year-old in 2016, allegedly over a minor verbal dispute that had occurred minutes earlier.

Will Watson, 29, was convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting of Gregory Ignacio Jr., 19, who was shot and killed Sept. 22, 2016, near an apartment complex in Fairview Street in Berkeley. Watson’s attorney argued that one of Watson’s acquaintances was the real killer, and that Watson was being falsely accused.

The jury returned its verdict on Dec. 17.

Prosecutors say Watson shot and killed Ignacio for disrespecting his friend, pointing to witness testimony that said Watson confronted Ignacio and demanded, “do you have a problem with J? You don’t mess with Jake,” right before the shooting. Ignacio and a man named Jacob had argued over a marijuana deal, and when Watson learned of it he said he was going to “check” Ignacio, according to authorities.

Watson, at the time a Mill Valley resident, was originally released on $1 million bail while the charges were pending, but was arrested in Lake County last year for allegedly violating his bail terms. He now faces up to 40 years to life in prison, and is set to be sentenced in March 2022.