NORFOLK, Va. – Andre Brinkley Jr., a 23-year-old Norfolk man, was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court on Friday, October 7, 2022, to 29 active years in prison for his role in a 2019 shooting and robbery spree that resulted in injuries to two individuals and the death of 37-year-old Helena Beth Stiglets.
Close to 8 p.m. on May 26, 2019, Mr. Brinkley approached two men outside of a residence on Ashlawn Drive while another man accompanying Mr. Brinkley waited by the road. Mr. Brinkley asked the two men for a lighter and became agitated after one of the men outside the residence asked repeatedly for a five-dollar bill. After telling the man to stop asking for money, Mr. Brinkley produced a handgun and fired three times at both men, hitting one, before fleeing with the man who waited by the road.
At nearly 10 p.m. the same night, Nofolk Police responded to a report of a different shooting at a residence on Nikoles Lane. A man at the residence informed officers that he, his uncle and his uncle’s van were shot at by one man who was riding on the handlebars of a bicycle — later identified as Mr. Brinkley — that was being pedaled by Mr. Brinkley’s co-defendant. The man who spoke with police said he returned fire with his gun that was secured inside the residence and that his uncle was shot in the foot by the gunman on the bike.
The same two men from the bike were later shown on video surveillance outside the Wawa convenience store and gas station at 975 E. Little Creek Road near Mrs. Stiglets’ parked vehicle. Just after 11 p.m., Mr. Brinkley carjacked Mrs. Stiglets while Mr. Brinkley’s accomplice stood behind her vehicle with his bike. Mr. Brinkley shot at Mrs. Stiglets multiple times, with one bullet hitting her chest and collapsing both of her lungs. Mrs. Stiglets stumbled back to the entrance of the store and was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
After shooting Mrs. Stiglets, Mr. Brinkley discovered he could not operate her vehicle because he did not know how to drive manual cars. At this point, Mr. Brinkley and his co-defendant parted ways.
Mr. Brinkley proceeded to the 7-Eleven at 800 E. Little Creek Road and attempted to steal beer and cigarettes from the store. After an employee at the store tried to stop Mr. Brinkley, Mr. Brinkley dropped the beer, exited the store and fired the murder weapon outside. Mr. Brinkley then spotted a nearby Norfolk Police vehicle and attempted to flee, but the officer and their K9 gave chase and took down Mr. Brinkley.
Shell casings and a revolver recovered from Mr. Brinkley’s pocket matched the bullet recovered during Mrs. Stiglets’ autopsy.
Mr. Brinkley pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022, to first-degree murder, unlawful wounding, robbery, destruction of property, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm in public.
On Friday, Judge Jerrauld C. Jones sentenced Mr. Brinkley to serve 29 active years in prison. The details of Mr. Brinkley's sentence include: 50 years in prison with 24 years suspended for first-degree murder, five years in prison with all years suspended for unlawful wounding, 10 years in prison with all years suspended for robbery, five years in prison with all years suspended for destruction of property, three years in prison for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and 12 months in jail with all months suspended for discharging a firearm in public (a misdemeanor). Mr. Brinkley’s suspended sentences are conditioned upon 25 years of uniform good behavior and a period of indeterminate supervised probation upon his release from prison.
“We have held Mr. Brinkley accountable,” said Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “My heart goes out to his victims. Our prosecutors continue to secure convictions in cases of violence to protect our citizens.”
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Cynthia D. Collard led the prosecution of Mr. Brinkley’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth. Mr. Brinkley’s co-defendant is currently scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 22, 2022, at which point more information will be released. Please contact Nia Tariq at 757-620-5454 for more information.
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