In the early afternoon of a Saturday in Richmond, Virginia, a call came into the police department about a robbery in progress on the 3600 block of Richmond Highway. The situation quickly escalated, and the report was upgraded to a shooting. When officers arrived at the scene at approximately 1:21 p.m. on December 14, 2024, they found a man lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound.
The man was identified as 37-year-old Wesley Jefferson, a resident of Richmond. He was a male.
Emergency services transported him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead. The cause and manner of his death were to be determined by the Medical Examiner. Wesley J. Jefferson, known to some as 'Woo,' was remembered as having a big heart and being a funny and humble person who attended George Wythe High School.
The investigation into the homicide continued for over a month. In the weeks following the shooting, Richmond Police detectives from the Major Crimes unit actively sought information from the public to help solve the case. Their efforts led to a significant development in late January. On January 22, 2025, a suspect turned himself in to local authorities.
The individual who surrendered was identified as 58-year-old Walter Coleman of Henrico. Following his surrender, Coleman was charged with murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the death of Wesley Jefferson. The police continued to ask anyone with further information about the homicide to come forward as the legal process against Coleman began.
