Man Sentenced to 26 Years for 2nd Degree Murder, Grand Theft Auto, Firearm Charges Following 2022 Ocean View Gas Station Shooting
NORFOLK, Va. — Kenneth Leon Yates, 45, was sentenced on Friday to serve 26 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Todd Lawton Wilson, using a firearm in the commission of Mr. Wilson’s murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and grand larceny of Mr. Wilson’s automobile following a 2022 gas station shooting.
After 11 p.m. on July 9, 2022, Mr. Wilson parked his gray Jeep Patriot at a gas pump at the Tinee Giant convenience store and Citgo gas station at 2701 E. Ocean View Ave. Moments later, a white SUV pulled into the gas station next to Mr. Wilson’s Jeep. Mr. Yates got out of the white SUV and got into the front passenger seat of Mr. Wilson’s Jeep. Mr. Yates then shot Mr. Wilson five times at close range in his torso, head, and leg. After mortally wounding Mr. Wilson, Mr. Yates pushed Mr. Wilson out of the vehicle, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off. Mr. Wilson died at the scene.
The entire incident was captured on video by security cameras, and witnesses were able to identify Mr. Yates to Norfolk Police investigators because he had visited the store earlier in the night and had given his phone number to an individual with whom he had been flirting.
At some point during the night, Mr. Yates was in a white SUV that he crashed into a fence at a church in Portsmouth. The following morning, Portsmouth Police officers located Mr. Yates and detained him on suspicion that he had been driving under the influence. After Mr. Yates gave them permission to search his car, officers found a handgun (which forensic tests later confirmed to be the murder weapon) in the glovebox. On July 13, 2022, Norfolk Police located Mr. Wilson’s Jeep parked in the Poplar Halls area with several cartridge casings inside matching Mr. Yates’ handgun.
Mr. Yates’ cell phone GPS data corroborated Mr. Yates’ presence at the Ocean View gas station, in Portsmouth where he was located with the murder weapon, and in Poplar Halls where Mr. Wilson’s vehicle was recovered. Mr. Yates’ cell phone data also contained text messages in which Mr. Yates demanded that another individual bring him bullets hours before the shooting as well as multiple phone calls between him and Mr. Wilson in the minutes leading up to the shooting.
Mr. Yates pleaded guilty on June 10 to second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and grand larceny of an automobile and agreed to serve a maximum active sentence of 29 years in prison; the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss Mr. Yates’ first-degree murder charge. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Yates’ plea agreement.
On Friday, Judge LeCruise sentenced Mr. Yates to serve 26 years in prison and suspended another 24 years on the conditions that Mr. Yates complete 10 years of uniform good behavior and supervised probation following his release and have no contact with the victim’s family during that time.
“Surveillance video, witness cooperation, excellent police work by the Norfolk and Portsmouth Police Departments, and Mr. Yates’ own carelessness all contributed to a case so strong that Mr. Yates chose to plead guilty rather than to go to trial,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Mr. Yates will now be accountable for murdering Mr. Wilson and will serve a good portion of the rest of his life in prison. Unfortunately, no sentence will bring Mr. Wilson back to his family. I mourn for them and wish them peace as they move forward with their lives.”
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney William S. Maydosz prosecuted Mr. Yates’ case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Tawny K. Cevora led the investigation.
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June 11, 2024
Man Pleads Guilty to 2nd Degree Murder, Grand Theft Auto, Firearm Charges Following 2022 Ocean View Gas Station Shooting
NORFOLK, Va. — Kenneth Leon Yates, 45, pleaded guilty on Monday to the second-degree murder of Todd Lawton Wilson, using a firearm in the commission of Mr. Wilson’s murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and grand larceny of Mr. Wilson’s automobile following a 2022 gas station shooting.
After 11 p.m. on July 9, 2022, Mr. Wilson parked his gray Jeep Patriot at a gas pump at the Tinee Giant convenience store and Citgo gas station at 2701 E. Ocean View Ave. Moments later, a white SUV pulled into the gas station next to Mr. Wilson’s Jeep. Mr. Yates got out of the white SUV and got into the front passenger seat of Mr. Wilson’s Jeep. Mr. Yates then shot Mr. Wilson five times at close range in his torso, head, and leg. After mortally wounding Mr. Wilson, Mr. Yates pushed Mr. Wilson’s body out of the vehicle, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off. The entire incident was captured on video by security cameras, and witnesses were able to identify Mr. Yates to Norfolk Police investigators because he had visited the store earlier in the night and had given his phone number to an individual with whom he had been flirting.
At some point during the night, Mr. Yates was in a white SUV that he crashed into a fence at a church in Portsmouth. The following morning, on July 10, 2022, Portsmouth Police officers located Mr. Yates and detained him on suspicion that he had been driving under the influence. After Mr. Yates gave them permission to search his car, officers found a handgun (which forensic tests later confirmed to be the murder weapon) in the glovebox. On July 13, 2022, Norfolk Police located Mr. Wilson’s Jeep parked in the Poplar Halls area with several cartridge casings inside matching Mr. Yates’ handgun.
Mr. Yates’ cell phone GPS data corroborated Mr. Yates’ presence at the Ocean View gas station, in Portsmouth where he was located with the murder weapon, and in Poplar Halls where Mr. Wilson’s vehicle was recovered. Mr. Yates’ cell phone data also contained text messages in which Mr. Yates demanded that another individual bring him bullets hours before the shooting as well as multiple phone calls between him and Mr. Wilson in the minutes leading up to the shooting.
Mr. Yates was set to stand trial by jury on Tuesday for first-degree murder, but on Monday during his pre-trial hearing, Mr. Yates pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and grand larceny of an automobile. Mr. Yates’ plea agreement calls for him to be sentenced by the judge with an active sentence no longer than 29 years. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Yates’ plea agreement and set the case for sentencing on Sept. 27.
“Thank you to the eyewitnesses and to the Norfolk Police for putting together a strong homicide case,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The stronger the case, the more likely it is that the accused person will plead guilty, accept responsibility, and save the family of the victim and potential jurors the trauma of trial. Come sentencing, we will seek an appropriate term in prison to fit Mr. Yates’s violent and unnecessary crime.”
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney William S. Maydosz is prosecuting Mr. Yates’ case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Tawny K. Cevora led the investigation.
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