A man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Thursday for the slaying of a 63-year-old man who died from his injuries after being burned in his car outside a Long Beach convenience store nine years ago.

Raymond Sean Clark, now 48, pleaded no contest last year to one count each for first-degree murder and arson causing great bodily injury.

Authorities said that on April 12, 2013, Clark threw a flammable substance through the driver’s side window of a green Toyota 4Runner that was located in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven store in the 5100 block of Pacific Coast Highway. The flammable substance caused the car to go up in flames with 63-year-old Jerry Payne inside.

A number of people nearby quickly stepped into action, pulling Payne out of the vehicle shortly after the fire erupted and extinguished the flames.

Payne was hospitalized with burn wounds to his torso and legs, but he died three days later.

Clark was arrested about a block from the scene after witnesses pointed him out to arriving officers, police said.

At the time of Clark’s arrest, residents who lived in the area and frequented the 7-Eleven said they recognized Clark, who would often hang around the parking lot on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Clark Avenue, asking for cigarettes and panhandling.

Clark has remained behind bars since his arrest, jail records show.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct when Clark pleaded no contest.

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