​Commonwealth v. Earl Boone Sr.; Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Shooting, Killing Son

Virginia Beach, Va. – Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth's Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced that Earl Boone Sr., 60 years old, was sentenced in Suffolk Circuit Court on charges of Second Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm. Circuit Court Judge Carl E. Eason Jr. sentenced Boone Sr. to 23 years in prison. The Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office handled this case as a Special Prosecution.

Boone Sr. pled guilty on April 5, 2023. Had this matter gone to trial, the Commonwealth's evidence would have proven that on October 28, 2019, Earl Boone Sr. shot and killed his son, Earl Boone Jr., in the parking lot of Obici Hospital in the City of Suffolk. A Boone family member had unexpectedly passed away, and multiple family members had gathered at the hospital. As Boone Sr. exited the hospital, Boone Jr. began to walk through the parking lot toward the hospital. Surveillance video captured an encounter between them in which Boone Sr. approached Boone Jr., words were exchanged, and Boone Sr. pointed at his son and then walked away. A witness heard Boone Jr. say to his father, "Why can't we just talk?" Boone Sr. went to his truck and retrieved a firearm. Boone Sr. fired at Boone Jr. after Boone Jr. began to walk away. The victim flinched and began to move away again. Boone Sr. then followed him, firing his gun at the victim at close range and continuing to fire multiple rounds until the victim fell to the ground. The victim died in the emergency room shortly thereafter.

Police identified Boone Sr. as the shooter and attempted to locate him. Another family member spoke with Boone Sr. and relayed to police that Boone Sr. would turn himself in. He did so a few hours later. Police located the gun in Boone Sr.'s vehicle on the rear passenger floorboard. In an interview with police, Boone Sr. described the victim as violent. He had fired the victim (he was the victim's supervisor) for fighting on the job, and within a week his home had been burglarized. Boone Sr. told police he thought his son would beat him up and that he wouldn't allow the victim to beat him up on the street. He stated that he "just snapped" and that he "wasn't really thinking, I was just shooting and that was it."

Boone Sr. has prior convictions for Destruction of Property, Assault, Brandishing a Firearm, Drug Distribution, and Failure to Appear.

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Wendy Alexander and Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Justin M. Brewster prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Allen if additional information is desired.