An ongoing investigation into a James City County shooting in November has led police to believe two suspects seeking to buy drugs robbed 26-year-old Tyler Anthony Cole before fatally shooting him.
One man, 22-year-old Wilbert McKenley Walker, was arrested earlier this month and is suspected of being the getaway driver in the Nov. 7 shooting in Ironbound Square Park, located off Monticello Avenue.
Walker, a Charles City County man, is facing a second-degree murder charge.
A criminal complaint filed against him in Williamsburg-James City County General District Court says he drove two suspects in a “bluish-colored” Chevrolet Malibu to the scene of the shooting.
Phone records show Walker and the two suspects — who have not been arrested and are not being named at this time — contacted Cole to buy drugs, according to the complaint. Walker and the suspects had planned to meet Cole to purchase the unspecified drugs in the area of Ironbound Square Park.
Walker is accused of driving the two suspects to the area of Ironbound Square Park and the two suspects approached Cole in his car, intending to rob him.
The two then shot Cole twice and stole unidentified items from him before leaving the scene in Walker’s car, the officer writes.
Court documents reference “cooperative informants” who say Walker and the two suspects confessed their involvement in the shooting.
The informants identified specific locations where Walker is believed to have been before and after the shooting, and Walker verified those unnamed locations in an interview with police.
James City County Police received a call reporting gunshots at around 8:05 p.m. Nov. 7 and arrived at the scene a few minutes later to find Cole, who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, had crashed his car into a home in the 300 block of Carriage Road.
Cole was transported to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Deputy Chief Steve Rubino with the James City County Police said in November.
Walker was arrested March 5 by James City County Police, who say charges are likely for the other two suspects.
Walker is being held at Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. April 23 in the WJCC district court.
Related Coverage:
