Willie Deandre Hassel, 20, of Benton Harbor, has been charged with open murder in the shooting death of John Conyers, age 30, also of Benton Harbor, on April 7, according to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office.

The incident occurred at about 8 p.m. in the parking lot of the Salvation Army at 233 Michigan Ave. in Benton Harbor and is believed to have originated as an illicit sale of pills that turned into a fight, which resulted in Hassel allegedly shooting John Conyers twice in the torso.

Open murder carries the possibility of a life sentence without the possibility of parole.  Hassel is also charged with additional counts of carrying a concealed weapon, a five-year felony; conspiracy to deliver a schedule IV controlled substance, a four-year felony and felony firearm, a mandatory two-year consecutive offense.

At his arraignment on Dec. 1, bail was set at a $700,000 cash or surety bond. The pre-exam conference is set for Dec. 8 and the preliminary examination hearing is set for Dec. 14, both at 8:30 a.m.

For an offense alleged to have occurred on Dec. 1, 2016, in Benton Harbor, Hassel was also arraigned on charges of unarmed robbery, a 15-year maximum; discharging a weapon in or at a building, a 10-year felony; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, both four-year felonies; domestic violence and careless discharge of a firearm, both misdemeanors.  His bond for those charges was set at $50,000. Hearing dates are the same as noted above.

The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office said the charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.