In the early hours of a May morning in Hampton, Virginia, the life of 26-year-old Troy L. James of Newport News was tragically cut short. On May 15, 2023, at approximately 1 a.m., police were called to the 400 block of Alleghany Road, where they discovered a grim scene. Troy, a male, and another individual, 42-year-old Benita J. Mozelle of Hampton, were found in the roadway with gunshot wounds.
Despite the immediate response from medics, both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators believe the shooting was the culmination of an argument that tragically escalated into a physical fight. During the altercation, a firearm was discharged, striking both Troy and Benita. For two months, the case remained under investigation as police worked to identify the person responsible for the double homicide. Troy, known to his loved ones as 'munchie,' was remembered as a loving father to his young daughter, Aubrey, with a passion for music and a great sense of humor. He worked as a retail salesman and was known for his love of fashion.
The investigation led authorities to a suspect, and on July 16, 2024, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, an arrest was made. Thirty-five-year-old Phillip Lee Morris of Hampton was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. Morris faces a litany of charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding, one count of robbery causing death, four counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and one count of discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. The shooting remains an active investigation.
