Norfolk Man Sentenced to 1½ Years in Prison for Fatally Stabbing His Brother in 2022

NORFOLK, Va. – Today, a Norfolk judge sentenced 30-year-old Tevin Darrell Locker to an active one year and six months in prison for voluntary manslaughter after Mr. Locker stabbed and killed his younger brother, 28-year-old Terrell Davon Locker, last year.

Early Sunday morning on June 5, 2022, Norfolk Police and emergency personnel were called to the 100 block of Hough Avenue for a single stabbing victim. They found the victim, Terrell Locker, lying on the sidewalk suffering from a single, deep stab wound to his neck, and he was pronounced dead after he was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. An autopsy determined that Terrell Locker died from that single stab wound and that his blood-alcohol concentration was more than .19 when he died. The police had no leads on the circumstances of Terrell Locker’s death or on who had stabbed him.

Two nights later, Tevin Locker walked into the Norfolk Police Operations Center and turned himself in with the help of a number of his family members, including his father and grandmother. He told an officer, "I was involved in an accidental stabbing on Hough Avenue on Sunday." The police determined that the incident to which Tevin Locker was referring was the stabbing death of his brother. Tevin Locker had a small cut on one of his hands but no other injuries. Terrell Locker was significantly taller and heavier than Tevin Locker. When taken before a Norfolk magistrate to be charged, Tevin Locker said, "All I have to say is I was attacked." The exact circumstances of why Tevin Locker stabbed Terrell Locker remain unknown.

Tevin Locker was originally charged with second-degree murder, but he pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023, to voluntary manslaughter, and Judge David W. Lannetti accepted his plea. The reason for the plea was the history between the brothers, the questions surrounding what happened that night, Tevin Locker's turning himself in, as well as the Lockers' parents' requesting — as parents of both the victim and the defendant — that the Commonwealth take the mitigating facts into account in fashioning the plea offer. Tevin Locker's plea agreement called for a maximum active sentence of two years and three months.

Tevin and Terrell Locker's family member testified today at sentencing that Terrell was a loving brother when sober but that, when he was intoxicated, Terrell would treat Tevin "as a punching bag."

Following the testimony and arguments from the Commonwealth and Tevin Locker's defense lawyer, Judge Lannetti found that Tevin Locker had accepted substantial responsibility and shown remorse. Judge Lannetti sentenced Tevin Locker to one year and six months in prison, suspending an additional three years and six months on the conditions of indeterminate probation and three years of good behavior.

"The story of a brother killing a brother is as old as Cain and Abel and just as tragic," said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. "Tevin and Terrell's parents have lost Terrell, and for them it was important that we hold Tevin accountable but that we not cause them to lose Tevin too. This is a very difficult case, where we must honor the memory of Terrell while also honoring the wishes of his parents that we exercise just mercy toward their surviving son. We have done our best to do so."

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony J. Comento prosecuted Tevin Locker's case on behalf of the Commonwealth.

###