Murder suspect to be tried as a juvenile

By Linda Cicoira

Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. upheld a defense lawyer’s motion Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court that will keep his Onancock area client from being tried as an adult in a murder case.

Shore Daily News is not disclosing the suspect’s name because he was 15 years old at the time of the offense. Anyone under 18 is protected in this way unless indicted as an adult in the circuit court.

The victim was 23-year-old Nicholas Kyle Joseph, of Painter, who was gunned down in his car on Johnson Street in Onancock in October of 2021.

Defense lawyer Sonny Stallings argued that Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan promised his client he would be treated as a juvenile if he testified against other defendants, cooperated, and was truthful. He said his client did what was asked.

Morgan contended that the suspect was not truthful, so the agreement should be void.

“I’ve struggled with this and gone over and over and over it,” said Judge Lewis. “I think you made a deal. He put himself at risk, he gave you two of the defendants, and you have to stick with it,” he told Morgan.

Two other young men have already been convicted in the shooting death.

Jordan Eric Ames, who was 17 at the time of the offense, was sentenced to 20 active years in prison recently for first-degree murder, robbery, and firearms offenses in connection with the death. Ames lived on Hill Street, just around the corner from where the shooting occurred.

Also 17 at the time was Daniel David Douglas, of Market Street. He was treated as an adult and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and related firearms charged in a plea bargain that also called for him to get 20 years. Douglas is scheduled for sentencing in April.

According to testimony at the hearing, some information supplied by the juvenile was contradicted in statements made by Douglas.

Douglas also pleaded guilty to escaping from custody, which occurred when he was arrested while working at Perdue months later at a job that he had started a few days earlier.

     Joseph was shot at least five times in the head, extremities, and chest while stopped in the middle of Johnson Street in Onancock, at about 3 p.m. The area is near the old carnival grounds. After being struck by gunfire, the victim’s car continued to move down the road and hit a pole at a nearby intersection. Police found it with the doors open.  Joseph died at a hospital the next day.

The victim was alleged in court records to be a drug dealer. Large quantities of bagged marijuana, three guns, and spent casings, were found inside the car.