Jury Convicts Man of Voluntary Manslaughter, Using Firearm in 2022 Bayview Shooting
NORFOLK, Va. — A jury convicted Emilio Jiovanni Rodriquez-Lopez, 23, on Wednesday of voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm in the commission of a felony after he shot and killed 22-year-old Aaron Wayne Leach Jr. in 2022.
On the afternoon of Sept. 18, 2022, Mr. Leach was in the driver’s seat and Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez was in the front passenger seat of an SUV on Creamer Road for a drug transaction. Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez eventually opened fire on Mr. Leach inside the vehicle, and a friend of Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez who had been waiting nearby also fired into the vehicle from outside the driver’s window. Mr. Leach was struck by multiple bullets from both sides, and Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez was hit in his abdomen by friendly fire and rolled out of the vehicle as Mr. Leach attempted to drive away. Suffering from his injuries, Mr. Leach crashed into a parked car and died inside the SUV. There was no evidence of Mr. Leach being armed during the shooting.
When police arrived at the scene, Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez was inside a nearby residence nursing his wound. Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez claimed that Mr. Leach had attempted to rob him and that he shot Mr. Leach in self-defense. Based on their investigation, police charged Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of murder.
In August 2024, Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez pleaded not guilty to his charges and opted to be tried by a jury. Judge Tasha D. Scott declared a mistrial in the case after one of the jurors had a medical emergency just after deliberations began.
On Tuesday, the Commonwealth proceeded with a second jury trial against Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez. On Wednesday, the jury found Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez guilty of voluntary manslaughter — a lesser-included charge of second-degree murder — and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Judge Everett A. Martin Jr., who presided over Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez’s second jury trial, set his sentencing hearing on April 25.
“After the first jury trial mistried due to an unfortunate medical emergency, we regrouped, and we tried the case again,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “While we believe that the evidence negated any self-defense argument, we respect the jury’s verdict showing reasonable doubt on the question of self-defense and convicting Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez of manslaughter and the use of a gun. We believe in trying tough cases, and we will continue to fight in court to hold accountable the individuals who commit violence in Norfolk.”
Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Scott C. Vachris and Emily A. Woodley are prosecuting Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez’s case, and Norfolk Police Detective Matthew M. Nordan led the investigation.
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