Man sentenced to 26 years in Ocean View gas station murder, carjacking

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A local man was sentenced to 26 years behind bars in Norfolk Circuit Court Friday in connection to a 2022 murder-carjacking in Ocean View.

Kenneth Yates, 45, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, use of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon and grand larceny (auto) on June 10. Yates’ first-degree murder charge was ultimately dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Yate’s also has a suspended 24-years of incarceration, dependent on 10 years’ good behavior.

The incident occurred shortly before midnight on the night of July 9.

Todd Wilson of Norfolk had parked his car at a gas station on the 2700 block of East Ocean View Ave. Yates pulled up in another car and entered the front passenger seat of 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,” according to a release from the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office.

Yates was identified by police through several different means, including the gas station’s security video. Yates had entered the store multiple times that day.

“Yates had also flirted with [a woman] and written down the phone number [redacted] on the back of the [a] lottery ticket and passed it to [her],” the release reads.

He was arrested in Portsmouth around 10:30 a.m., the morning after the shooting, initially for suspected DUI. He had crashed a white GMC Yukon into a fence sometime overnight. Through that investigation, police were able to recover the murder weapon as well as Wilson’s Jeep.

“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.”

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