24-Year-Old Convicted of Two Norfolk Murders

By Michelle Washington, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

Mar. 18–NORFOLK — Jurors convicted Edward Beavers of capital murder Friday, concluding that he killed two men with assault rifle in broad daylight on a street in Park Place in 2004.

They also convicted Beavers, 24, of attempted robbery and weapons charges in the Dec. 30, 2004, shootings. Jurors recommended a sentence of life plus 38 years. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.

During the week long trial, witnesses testified that Beavers and three other men — his older brother, Joseph Williams, along with Randy Cherry and Jimmott Thomas, planned to rob two other men. They met the victims, Randy Mills and Richard Tucker, on West 30th Street at about 3 p.m.

Williams testified against his brother in exchange for a plea agreement that capped his sentence at nine years for charges of accessory after the fact to murder and conspiracy to commit robbery. Williams said he bought the AK-47 Beavers used to shoot Mills and Tucker.

Williams testified that he watched from the car while the other three men approached the victims to rob them. Cherry and Thomas ran off when a shot was fired, Williams said, but Beavers stayed behind. First, Williams testified, Beavers shot Tucker, who was on the passenger side of the car. Tucker had tried to run but made it only a few steps before Beavers shot him. Beavers bent down for a moment, then moved toward the driver’s side.

Williams heard more shots as the driver’s side door came open. Beavers came back to Williams’ car, the assault rifle still in his hand, and Williams drove away.

Two Norfolk narcotics officers happened to be driving through the neighborhood when the killings occurred. They turned down 30th Street within minutes of the shooting. The driver’s side door on the car Mills drove was open. Investigator Judy Hash testified that she saw Mills with his feet wedged under the accelerator and brake, but with his body twisted and slumped outside the car. His hand was on his own gun, his finger on the trigger.

Defense lawyers Cynthia Garris and Robert McLanahan Smith III tried to discredit the co-defendants who testified against Beavers, calling the case a “whodunit.” Garris argued to jurors that Williams had committed the crimes.

Reach Michelle Washington at (757) 446-2287 or michelle.washington@pilotonline.com.

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