On a quiet Sunday evening in Chesapeake, Virginia, the life of 51-year-old John Epitacio Casiquito, a male, came to a tragic and violent end. On June 13, 2021, police responded to a call about an injured person at a residence on Canning Place. Upon arrival, they discovered Casiquito deceased from a gunshot wound. The initial investigation pointed to a suspect who was not only present at the scene but also shared the home with the victim.
Richard Clayton Seevers, 69 years old at the time,
was taken into custody at the residence. The two men were housemates, and reports from neighbors suggested a history of discord between them, with frequent arguments being overheard. While the specific motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by law enforcement, the nature of their relationship appears to have been tumultuous.
Seevers was promptly charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was arraigned in Chesapeake General District Court and held without bond. The case drew local attention, not only for the violent nature of the crime but also because Seevers was a known figure in the community, serving as a commissioner on the Chesapeake Mayor's Commission on Veterans Affairs.
Following his arrest, Seevers' case was set for a preliminary hearing. He was subsequently indicted by a grand jury. In a turn of events, court records indicate that Richard Seevers entered a plea of guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a related firearm charge. This plea was accepted by the court, leading to his conviction. For the voluntary manslaughter charge, he received a sentence of 10 years in prison, with all of that time suspended. For the charge of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, he was sentenced to three years of active incarceration.
