Levi Norwood has pleaded guilty in Fauquier County Circuit Court to shooting and killing his mother and 6-year-old brother in the February 2020, in the family’s Virginia home.
Norwood pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Jennifer, and a reduced charge of second-degree murder in the death of his brother, Wyatt.
Other charges in the case, involving the wounding of his father, were dropped.
The now-19-year-old Norwood spoke in a barely audible voice in answering the judge鈥檚 questions about his understanding of the plea arrangement reached by Commonwealth鈥檚 Attorney Scott Hook and public defender Ryan Ruzic.
Judge James Fisher ordered a presentence investigation, and set a status hearing for Nov. 3.
鈥淚t will not be a short sentencing,鈥� Ruzic told the judge.
Since the Feb. 14, 2020 crime, Norwood has undergone two psychiatric evaluation. Ruzic hasn鈥檛 revealed the findings.
While his attorney earlier was considering a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, Norwood had repeatedly been found competent to stand trial.
As 海角社区app reported in July 2020, charging documents said that on the day of the shootings, Norwood told his girlfriend at school 鈥渢hat he wanted to kill his mother.鈥� The girlfriend also said Norwood was depressed and anxious, and said he told her he was schizophrenic and would see 鈥渟hadow people.鈥�
Ruzic never filed a motion alerting prosecutors of using an insanity defense prior to the plea, suggesting the psychiatric evaluations determined Norwood was not insane at the time of the offenses.
海角社区app’s Neal Augenstein reported from Fauquier County.
