Commonwealth v. Bobby Cason; Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Murder in Parking Lot

​Virginia Beach, Va. – Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth's Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced that Bobby Cason, age 22, formerly of the 2400 block of Sedgewick Drive in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced today on charges of First Degree Murder, Attempted Robbery (2 counts) and Use of a Firearm (3 counts). Circuit Court Judge Les L. Lilley sentenced Cason to 63 years in prison with 33 years suspended, leaving thirty (30) years to serve. This was the maximum sentence allowed under the plea agreement.

Cason pled guilty on August 3, 2021. If this matter had gone to trial, the Commonwealth's evidence would have proven that on the morning of November 29, 2018, the victim, Devin Bell, was alone in his home on Black Duck Court in Virginia Beach. Bobby Cason, who was unknown to Bell, knocked on his door. Bell did not open the door but had a strange conversation with Cason then noticed that Cason continued to hang around the condominium complex. Bell contacted some friends to come to help him check out the situation.

After Bell's friends arrived at the complex, Cason ran up to one of them, armed with a handgun with an extended magazine, and demanded the man's property. The man had nothing but a cup of coffee, so Cason turned toward Bell and said he "needed something." Bell pulled out his cell phone and told Cason to take it. Cason then pulled a second handgun from his pocket and demanded that Bell take him inside his house. A struggle ensued during which Cason shot Bell. Bell collapsed a short distance away where he died. Cason fled the scene with both guns. The medical examiner determined that the muzzle of the gun was pressed against Bell's neck when he was shot.

Cason was linked to the crime through Ring doorbell footage. He was wearing latex gloves at the time. Police found a latex glove near Bell's body, which was later analyzed by the Department of Forensic Science. Cason's DNA was found on the glove.

Although no handguns we recovered, police found at Cason's grandparents' house a magazine containing bullets of the same type as the shell casing found near Bell's body. At his grandparents' and parents' houses, police also recovered shoes and a latex glove matching Cason's attire in the Ring doorbell footage.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys Andrew R. Parker and Jason M. Kowalski prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Allen if additional information is desired.

###