Where the mystery laptop is now: Virginia Beach delegate addresses mass shooting commission in Richmond

A state commission investigating the 2019 mass shooting in Virginia Beach hopes to review any useful information gleaned from a laptop allegedly found in the gunman’s condo.

Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, who previously announced that the laptop had come into her possession, told the group at its Wednesday meeting in Richmond that she was unable to help. The Virginia Beach Democrat said the laptop was given to the Department of Justice.

Her lawyer, Joseph Sherman, in an interview with The Virginian-Pilot later clarified that he had planned to send the laptop to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division prior to the start of the General Assembly’s session, but decided to wait because of the volume of people calling to provide more information.

Sherman took the blame for the breakdown in communication, saying he didn’t want to mention new developments to Convirs-Fowler while she was preparing for the first day of the legislative session.

Sherman said their intent is to provide a “compelling package” of evidence, which Convirs-Fowler has been compiling for years, to take to the Civil Rights Division along with the laptop. They’re inviting those with information about the workplace culture within the city government to come forward.

The laptop is “secured off site,” Sherman said, and neither he nor Convirs-Fowler have made further efforts to verify its authenticity.

“The investigations performed by the city leave a lot to be desired from the stakeholders, and so we’re seeking an honest review of the factors contributing to the murders, and that’s going to require someone to investigate the city, its culture, its workplace environment, and perceived or actual systemic failures,” Sherman said. “The federal government represents the most powerful protector of civil rights, and it can exercise its authority to help this community.

“(Convirs-Fowler’s) constituency wants more transparency and less obstruction on behalf of the city into determining why the murderer felt motivated to attack his managers and superiors.”

Sherman said the attorney for the victims’ families, former Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, has not formally requested the laptop beyond asking that it be turned over to his client, Debbie Borato, the sister of shooting victim Michelle “Missy” Langer.

Convirs-Fowler told the commission she gave a copy of the laptop’s contents to Fairfax, which he confirmed last week.

“A copy of it is in the hands of the attorney representing the families — so if a copy is wanted by this commission, I suggest reaching out to the families or the attorney,” she said.

Convirs-Fowler told the commission Wednesday she had no other information to provide.

“For my own safety, I want to make it clear that I do not have this laptop (anymore),” she said. “I’ve had people come to my home — I am getting threats on Facebook, on messenger.”

Ryant Washington, the commission chair, said the group was not in the position to demand the device but would send a letter appealing for information.

David Cariens, another commission member, said he had serious concerns about the laptop’s previous whereabouts.

“If I recall correctly, the Virginia Beach police, when they did the search of the shooter’s condo, said they found no laptop,” he said. “So this is a major question — why did it turn up now? Who had it?”

Cariens said he would like to review the Virginia Beach police’s inventory of everything found during their search of the condo, as well as any photographs taken by investigators.

Borato, a Florida resident, obtained the shooter’s Virginia Beach condo following a wrongful death lawsuit against the administrator of his estate. She and her friend, Beth Mann, said they initially found the laptop on Nov. 22 while they were cleaning the condo preparing for its sale. With Borato’s permission, Mann turned the laptop over to Convirs-Fowler.

Convirs-Fowler is one of two legislators who pushed to create the commission, which is tasked with conducting an independent investigation into the tragedy.

The gunman, a disgruntled city employee, fatally shot 12 people May 31, 2019, at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center before he was killed by police.

Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com