Onancock man gets suspended sentences for drive by shooting in Northampton Court

By Linda Cicoira

     A 19-year-old Onancock man was given suspended sentences Monday in Northampton Circuit Court for his part in a drive-by shooting in the Bayview area of Cheriton last year, where about 30 shell casings were later found by investigators, neighbors ran for cover, a young woman was injured, and damage occurred to the apartment buildings and vehicles there.

John (J Murdah) Davis Barbour, of Redwood Road, was initially indicted on counts of destruction of more than $1,000 worth of property, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, maliciously shooting another person, maliciously shooting at an occupied building, and maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle.

He cooperated with the authorities. In a deal, Barbour pleaded guilty to felony maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle and misdemeanor reckless handling of a firearm. The other charges were not prosecuted. Barbour will be on supervised probation for three years. He got a suspended 10-year term for the shooting charge and a suspended 12-month term for the firearm offense.

The incident occurred on the late night of June 14 and the morning of June 15, 2024, on Bluebird Road. Cars and apartment buildings were struck by gunfire coming from a blue Chevrolet Malibu. Neighbors were socializing after a barbecue and were videotaped running for cover. One young woman, who had just graduated from high school the previous night, was struck by gunfire, causing her to have to undergo a procedure to remove shrapnel from her foot.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton said another young man, 19-year-old Nykeem Ijour Bailey, of Walnut Lane in Birdsnest, was the ringleader. Bailey was recently sentenced to seven years and nine months of active time in prison for his crimes.

Thornton said Bailey “was looking to get retribution on someone who shot up his mother’s vehicle … Shooting at a party is not the way … His father passed away when he was young, and he has not had an easy time… but that is no excuse for putting young lives in danger.”

A 15-year-old Norfolk boy, with ties to the Eastern Shore, was acquitted last month of the drive-by crimes. Barbour’s testimony was the only thing that tied the teenager to the crime, and Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. said that was not enough for a conviction.

       Nineteen-year-old Nicolas Edward Petrillo, of Seaside Road in Painter, was also charged in connection with the drive-by shootings and will go to trial in November