Dispute About Smoking Led California Man, 31, to Shoot His 21-Year-Old Neighbor 17 Times, Court Rules

A California man has been convicted of first-degree murder after shooting his neighbor multiple times during an argument reportedly tied to smoking and ongoing tensions.

Sidney Bararchie Clarke, 31, of Brea in Orange County, was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 12, according to reporting from The Orange County Register, Mynewsla.com, and Patch.

Authorities responded to the Raintree Apartments in Brea on Aug. 30, 2023, where 21-year-old Logan Kahmar was discovered dead with 17 gunshot wounds.

A police statement issued at the time noted that dispatchers received multiple reports of gunfire at approximately 7:29 p.m. Officers arrived within two minutes and located Kahmar, who had already succumbed to his injuries.

Prosecutors told the court that Kahmar’s infant daughter was found alone inside the residence after the shooting, per The Orange County Register.

Clarke, who lived directly above Kahmar, told investigators he had ongoing issues with his neighbor, alleging that Kahmar was “drinking, yelling racial epithets, and being a nuisance in the community,” per Patch. He also reportedly complained about Kahmar’s smoking habits. The confrontation that preceded the shooting was described as a “verbal confrontation.”

The day after the killing, officers located Clarke in his jeep outside a Los Angeles coffee shop. The gun used in the shooting was allegedly found inside his backpack, according to The Orange County Register.

Following Clarke’s arrest, the Brea Police Department thanked local and county law enforcement agencies for their assistance and extended condolences to Kahmar’s family for their tragic loss.