On May 13, 2022, a violent encounter in a Chesapeake, Virginia apartment on Wintercress Way resulted in the death of 26-year-old John Cortez McInnis, a Black male from Norfolk. The Chesapeake Police Department was initially called to the scene around 5:15 p.m. to investigate a report of bullet holes in the side of an apartment building. Upon their arrival, officers discovered the bodies of McInnis and another man, 24-year-old Darren Michael Belardo of Portsmouth, inside one of the units.
Both men had been shot, and a significant quantity of illegal narcotics was found at the scene, leading investigators to treat the case as both a double homicide and a narcotics investigation.
The events leading to the deaths of McInnis and Belardo were part of a larger criminal enterprise. The apartment was being used as a 'popup shop' for a substantial interstate drug trafficking organization. McInnis and Belardo, both armed, had attempted to rob the operation. This led to a shootout with members of the drug trafficking ring who were present. Bullets from the exchange penetrated a neighboring apartment, striking a child's play kitchen, though fortunately, no one else was injured.
Following the incident, several individuals involved in the drug operation were identified and faced legal consequences. Corney Conley, a 35-year-old from Virginia Beach identified as the leader of the drug trafficking organization, and 28-year-old Rashaun Marcquez Johnson of Virginia Beach were identified as the individuals who shot and killed McInnis and Belardo. Another man, 27-year-old Davian Marcelis Jenkins of Suffolk, was seen pistol-whipping one of the wounded men as he lay dying in the foyer. In the immediate aftermath, Conley and Jenkins were observed removing drugs, money, and firearms from the apartment before fleeing. Jenkins later returned at Conley's direction to dismantle and remove security cameras that had recorded the incident.
In January 2025, several individuals were convicted for their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy and the events that led to the deaths of McInnis and Belardo. Corney Conley was convicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute drugs and firearms violations, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Three other men were also convicted for their involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
