Suspect pleads guilty to 2019 murder

By Linda Cicoira

     A 25-year-old Melfa man pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and related charges Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court in connection with the 2019 shooting death of Alvin Lee “Derek” Rogers of Belle Haven. 

    Bronta Jamar Ames, of Killmontown Road, also admitted to his involvement in credit card frauds and a fight at the county jail that ended with another inmate being seriously injured.

     Ames could be sentenced up to life plus 161 years for the crimes. A plea agreement with Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan called for Ames to serve a total of 28 years with approximately 50 more years suspended that could be given if he doesn’t behave after he is released. A breakdown of the proposed sentences called for 40 years for the murder with 20 years suspended.

     Judge W. Revell Lewis III accepted the guilty pleas to murder, attempted robbery, two counts of use of a firearm, two counts of credit card fraud, a count of grand larceny, and malicious wounding by a mob. The judge delayed accepting the agreement or pronouncing sentences until a long-form presentence report is made. Sentencing was set for November. 

      Counts of illegally obtaining a credit card, two charges of grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and an act of violence by a mob were not prosecuted as part of the plea agreement. 

     Morgan said the shooting occurred on Boggs Road in Painter. When police arrived, they found Rogers’ body in his van, which had run into a tree. It appeared the 40-year-old was backing up when he was shot. There were bullet holes in the van’s windshield and blood inside the vehicle. An autopsy showed he was shot in the shoulder and in the stomach area. The latter “bullet passed through major organs and caused the death,” Morgan said.

     For months Ames denied being involved in the shooting. He blamed then 17-year-old Nyxavier Riekem Snead, Rogers’ neighbor. Snead has also been charged with the murder and related crimes. Later, Ames told authorities the purpose of the meeting was to “purchase marijuana” and that he got a 9mm pistol from Snead and then shot into the van as it was moving. According to court records Snead’s jury trial is set for April 2023. He will be tried as an adult.

   Twenty-three-year-old Allison Elaine Stauffer, of Keller, was charged with being an accessory to murder, which involves “receiving, relieving, comforting, or assisting” Ames after knowing that he committed the homicide. Stauffer was also charged with being an accessory before the fact in an attempt to rob Rogers of marijuana by “putting the victim in fear of serious bodily harm, threats, or by presenting a firearm or other deadly weapon.” No trial date has been set for those charges. 

     Stauffer is awaiting sentencing for fraud counts in connection with the use of her mother’s credit card, according to court records. Morgan said all three defendants were captured on video using or attempting to use the credit card at “various locations.”

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