A Virginia Beach man killed a teen who tried to steal drugs from him in 2018. He’ll serve no more than 7 years in prison.
A man who shot and killed a 17-year-old Ocean Lakes High School student who tried to steal marijuana from him will serve no more than seven years in prison as part of a plea deal worked out with prosecutors Monday in Virginia Beach Circuit Court.
Jacob “Alex” Meadows, 23, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it and conspiracy. The charges stemmed from the December 2018 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Christopher Ross at an upscale home where Ross had gone to buy marijuana.
In exchange for Meadows’ plea, the Virginia Beach commonwealth’s attorney’s office agreed to drop second-degree murder and illegal use of handgun charges against him. They also promised to seek no more than a seven-year prison term when he’s sentenced in October.
Afterward, members of Ross’s family angrily confronted Meadows outside the courtroom.
Claire Roman, a woman who was in the hallway waiting for another case to be called, was among those who witnessed the exchange. Roman said Meadows was smiling and appeared to be behaving in a “disrespectful” manner when he exited the courtroom. That’s when members of Ross’ family started yelling at him and his family, she said.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers standing nearby said they scrambled to get out of the way as sheriff’s deputies separated the two sides. Circuit Judge Steven Frucci, who presided over the plea hearing, scheduled a contempt hearing for next Monday, and ordered Meadows to return to court to explain what happened, according to a prosecutor.
Macie Allen, a spokeswoman for the commonwealth’s attorney’s office, said prosecutors “amended the charges to fit the available evidence.” She said Ross’ immediate family was consulted before the deal was finalized.
Some members of Ross’ family, however, thought it was too lenient. And they complained Monday about what they perceived as a lack of remorse shown by Meadows.
“The system is a joke. It’s a flat out joke,” said Ross’ uncle Steve Hines as he stood outside the courtroom moments after the shouting incident occurred. Hines accused prosecutors of “throwing the case under the rug” over the past 3½ years, and allowing Meadows to “buy his way out” of it.
Defense attorney James Broccoletti said he didn’t know what led up to the incident in the hallway but was called back into the courtroom by the judge to schedule the contempt hearing.
“It’s a sad case on both sides. There are no winners, only losers,” Broccoletti said. “The young man’s life was lost and another young man’s has been irretrievably changed.”
The shooting happened on the afternoon of Dec. 11 at a house in the Red Mill area of Virginia Beach.
According to a statement of facts prosecutors entered into evidence Monday, Ross had gone to the house to buy a quarter-pound of marijuana for $400 from a teen who lived there. Meadows was the one who supplied the marijuana to the teen and was there when Ross arrived, the statement said. Ross’ brother came along with him but waited outside.
The group was in an upstairs bedroom when Ross lifted his shirt to display a revolver he had tucked in his waistband, grabbed the marijuana and ran, the statement said. Meadows chased after Ross and fired an estimated eight shots from a Glock 23 handgun he had on him as Ross ran out the front door. Ross, who was a junior at the time and a former member of the Ocean Lakes High School football team, was struck in the head, neck, back, pelvis and shoulder, according to an autopsy report. He died at the scene.
A police detective testified at a 2019 preliminary hearing that Meadows claimed he was in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the day of the shooting, but admitted to taking part after learning his mother had confirmed he was in Virginia Beach at the time.
Meadows, then 19, told police he was at the top of the stairs and Ross was in the foyer when Ross turned and looked up at him. That’s when he fired several shots, which he claimed were in self defense. He said he later tossed his gun off the Pungo Ferry Bridge.
Meadows was arrested the day after the shooting. He spent a little more than a year in jail before being granted a $50,000 bond in January 2020 — a rare occurrence in a Virginia Beach murder case. On Monday, he was allowed to remain free on bond until his sentencing Oct. 12.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
