Man gets 26 years for murder of ex-girlfriend in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A man who shot and killed his ex-girlfriend in Norfolk last April will spend 26 years in prison.

31-year-old Dayqwan Stevenson received the 26-year sentence earlier this month after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and maliciously shooting into an occupied vehicle in the case.

Prosecutors with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office say he shot Terri Renee Denmark, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child, 10 times around 1 a.m. at an apartment complex off East Ocean View Avenue on April 16, 2023.

“Mr. Stevenson, driven by jealousy, killed someone he claimed to love, taking the victim away from her family forever,” said Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi.

Prosecutors say Stevenson was driven to the victim’s home by another person under the pretense of taking food to he and Denmark’s child. Stevenson tried calling the victim several times during the ride over, and yelled at her for being out late when she wasn’t there when he arrived.

When the victim got home about 10 minutes later, Stevenson got out of the car and shot her 10 times while she was still in the driver’s seat. Authorities tied Stevenson to the shooting through cell phone records and through the driver of the car, who Stevenson also threatened to kill after Denmark’s murder, prosecutors say.

Prosecutors did point out Stevenson was previously the victim of a shooting back in 2022. He was shot in the back of the head and had permanent injuries.

“While it is impossible to know whether Mr. Stevenson’s head injury played a part in his decision to kill the victim, he had no excuse to commit murder,” Fatehi added. “Mr. Stevenson poses a danger to the public and will now serve the sentence that fits his crime.”

Stevenson’s plea agreement means 24 additional years were suspended on the condition of supervised probation upon release.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.