Deputies: Man who killed former Orlando Magic player said he was intimidated ‘due to his size’

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused of killing a former Orlando Magic player is expected to make his first appearance in court on Tuesday afternoon.

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The man who died was Adreian Payne, 31, who was a standout college basketball player at Michigan State University and went on to play in the NBA.

Deputies arrested Lawrence Dority, 29, on a first-degree murder charge related to Payne’s death.

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According to an arrest warrant, Payne was parked outside Dority’s Orange County townhome before the shooting early Monday morning. Dority told deputies he interpreted Payne’s presence “as a threat” and that Payne was “intimidating due to his size.”

Dority told deputies he was threatened by Payne and believed Payne had a gun, so Dority said he went inside his home to get his own weapon. When he walked out of the home, Dority said he fired one round at Payne before going back inside.

READ: Former Orlando Magic player shot, killed in east Orange County neighborhood

A witness told deputies Payne “was not threatening Dority in any way.” And investigators confirmed Payne was not armed and no weapons were found in his car.

Investigators said Dority stayed at the scene until Orange County deputies got there.

Over three seasons, Payne played 107 games for the NBA. He last played for the Orlando Magic in 2017, which was his final season in the NBA.

Photos: Adreian Payne through the years

He was released by the Magic after ESPN reported an alleged sexual assault involving Payne and former Michigan State University guard Keith Appling in their college freshman year.

Prosecutors had not pressed charges and no legal action was taken, the Free Press reported.

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Dority is set to appear before a judge at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

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