Man Sentenced to 30 Years for 2nd Degree Murder, Using Firearm in Shooting of Wheelchair-Bound Man in Grandy Village
NORFOLK, Va. — Michael Anthony Lewis Jr., 28, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty as charged to the second-degree murder of 32-year-old Bobby Lee Hill and to using a firearm in the commission of Mr. Hill’s murder in the Grandy Village neighborhood last year.
On the morning of June 18, 2024, Mr. Lewis shot Mr. Hill, who was wheelchair-bound, in his temple at near-contact range in the 3100 block of Kimball Terrace. Mr. Lewis fled in a car, and witnesses called Norfolk Police. Mr. Hill was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
When police investigators arrived, they looked at nearby security camera footage which captured the shooting. The footage showed Mr. Lewis getting out of a car, running up to Mr. Hill, shooting him, and running back to his car immediately after the shooting. Police then used the Flock license plate reader system to trace the direction of travel that Mr. Lewis took. The Flock images showed Mr. Lewis driving back toward the apartment complex where he lived. Security footage outside that apartment building showed him arriving there after the shooting in the same car and walking inside. Using this information, investigators secured search warrants for Mr. Lewis’ unit. There, they recovered Mr. Lewis’ 9mm firearm. Subsequent forensic testing of that firearm, along with cartridge casings collected from the scene, confirmed that it was the gun Mr. Lewis used to murder Mr. Hill.
Mr. Lewis was arrested without incident on charges of second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of murder just hours after the shooting. He waived his Miranda rights and admitted he was the shooter, but Mr. Lewis’ motive for killing Mr. Hill remains unknown.
On Feb. 25, Mr. Lewis entered an agreement to plead guilty as charged. In exchange for his guilty pleas, the Commonwealth agreed not to charge Mr. Lewis with first-degree murder. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. Lewis’ plea agreement. There was no agreement to Mr. Lewis’ sentence, which was left to the sole discretion of the Court, and he faced up to 43 years in prison.
On May 23, Judge Lindsey sentenced Mr. Lewis to serve 30 years in prison and suspended another 13 years on the conditions that Mr. Lewis comply with supervised probation for three years following his release and be of uniform good behavior while incarcerated and for 30 years following his release.
“Quick police work and the use of technology helped lead to Mr. Lewis’ arrest and conviction for this unnecessary and violent crime against a disabled person,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Without cameras, I do not know that this crime would have ever been solved. With them, we have held Mr. Lewis accountable for taking the victim’s life. While Mr. Lewis’ sentence is substantial, no sentence will ever bring back Mr. Lewis’ victim. I mourn for him and for his family as they grieve his absence. My office will continue to focus our efforts on holding accountable the people who take the lives of our fellow citizens.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Caswell W. Richardson prosecuted Mr. Lewis’ case, and Norfolk Police Detective Kyle D. Austin led the investigation.
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Flock Images, Security Footage Lead to Man’s Guilty Pleas to 2nd Degree Murder, Using Firearm in 2024 Shooting of Wheelchair-Bound Man in Grandy Village
NORFOLK, Va. — Michael Anthony Lewis Jr., 28, pleaded guilty as charged on Tuesday to second-degree murder as using a firearm in the commission of murder for shooting and killing 32-year-old Bobby Lee Hill in the Grandy Village neighborhood last year.
On the morning of June 18, 2024, Mr. Lewis shot Mr. Hill, who was wheelchair-bound, in his temple at near-contact range in the 3100 block of Kimball Terrace. Mr. Lewis fled in a car, and witnesses called Norfolk Police. Mr. Hill was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
When police investigators arrived, they looked at nearby security camera footage which captured the shooting. The footage showed Mr. Lewis getting out of a car, running up to Mr. Hill, shooting him, and running back to his car immediately after the shooting. Police then used the Flock license plate reader system to trace the direction of travel that Mr. Lewis took. The Flock images showed Mr. Lewis driving back toward the apartment complex where he lived. Security footage outside that apartment building showed him arriving there after the shooting in the same car and walking inside. Using this information, investigators secured search warrants for Mr. Lewis’ unit. There, they recovered Mr. Lewis’ 9mm firearm. Subsequent forensic testing of that firearm, along with cartridge casings collected from the scene, confirmed that it was the gun Mr. Lewis used to murder Mr. Hill.
Mr. Lewis was arrested without incident on charges of second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of murder just hours after the shooting. He waived his Miranda rights and admitted he was the shooter, but Mr. Lewis’ motive for killing Mr. Hill remains unknown.
On Tuesday, Mr. Lewis entered an agreement to plead guilty as charged. In exchange for his guilty pleas, the Commonwealth agreed not to charge Mr. Lewis with first-degree murder. There was no agreement to Mr. Lewis’ sentence, which will be left to the sole discretion of the Court. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. Lewis’ plea agreement and set his sentencing hearing on May 23. Mr. Lewis faces up to 43 years in prison.
“In years past, this case may have never been solved, but thanks to NRHA surveillance cameras, private security cameras, and the Flock system, a case that otherwise may have been totally cold led to an arrest within hours of the murder and, today, a guilty plea to that crime,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “I am very sorry for Mr. Hill and his family. We will continue to advocate for the responsible use of technology that solves crimes and protects the civil rights and privacy of innocent people.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Caswell W. Richardson is prosecuting Mr. Lewis’ case, and Norfolk Police Detective Kyle D. Austin led the investigation.
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