On the night of February 27, 2022, in Portsmouth, Virginia, 38-year-old Crystal Nicole Jacobs, a female, was found deceased from a gunshot wound inside a car. The vehicle was located near the Florida Avenue home of 71-year-old Irving Wolff. Wolff was arrested after he admitted to police that he had shot Jacobs.
Following his arrest, Wolff was granted release on bond just one day later. He claimed that he acted in self-defense during an altercation with Jacobs.
According to court documents, Wolff alleged that Jacobs had asked him to take her to a bank to withdraw money so she could purchase drugs. He told investigators that he refused because he had been drinking and was unable to drive. Wolff claimed that Jacobs then became aggressive, 'throwing him around the apartment,' throwing him to the ground, and grabbing his neck. He stated that he managed to break free and reach for his gun. He alleged a struggle over the weapon ensued, during which a shot was fired into the ceiling. Wolff claimed he then shot Jacobs in the torso after she allegedly jumped over a couch and tried to grab his neck again. He told investigators that as Jacobs ran towards the kitchen door, she pointed at him with her index finger, at which point he shot her a second time in the upper torso.
Despite Wolff's claims of a physical struggle, detectives reported finding no injuries on him or any evidence within the apartment to corroborate his account of a fight. Neighbors told police they heard gunshots, and one witness stated that Wolff had knocked on their door asking them to call 9-1-1. Initially facing charges including second-degree murder, Wolff was ultimately found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and shooting in the commission of a felony on December 16, 2024. In April 2025, he was sentenced to one year and six months to serve, with a larger 10-year sentence being mostly suspended. His formal sentencing was scheduled for March 6, 2025.
