By Nancy Drury Duncan —
An Accomack County man pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempted robbery in connection with a May 2019 incident.
Bronta Jamar Ames, 26, of Melfa, also pleaded guilty to charges of credit card fraud and grand larceny in connection with an incident that took place two weeks before the slaying.
The victim, Alvin Lee Rogers, was backing out of his driveway when the shooting occurred. Bullet holes were found in the windshield of his van.
The autopsy showed Rogers was shot in the shoulder and in the stomach and died at the scene.
Ames also pleaded guilty to malicious wounding by a mob. That charge came as a result of a May 2022 incident in the Accomack County Jail where another inmate was severely injured.
For these crimes, Ames was subject to a sentence of life plus 161 years. Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan agreed not to prosecute several charges relating to the credit card and malicious wounding incidents in exchange for Ames’ pleas of guilt.
The agreement recommends a sentence of 28 years of active prison time with decades of suspended time that could be reimposed if Ames commits further crimes.
Judge W. Revell Lewis III delayed accepting the plea agreement until the completion of a presentence investigation report. Ames’ sentencing is set for Nov. 10.
Nyxavier Riekem Snead, who was 17 at the time of the slaying, has also been charged with the murder. He is set to be tried as an adult in April 2023.
