In a tragic turn of events fueled by jealousy, Jonathan Lee Bassette, a 29-year-old male, was killed on November 14, 2020, in Norfolk, Virginia. The incident occurred inside a residence on Nicholson Street. Bassette, born on June 19, 1991, in Petersburg, VA, was a father and a cherished son and friend who had grown up in Norfolk.
The man responsible for his death was 31-year-old Malcolm Jamaal Jorden. Jorden confronted and fatally shot Bassette because he suspected him of having a relationship with his pregnant girlfriend. The shooting took place in the girlfriend's home while her three children were present. Less than a month after the incident, Jorden was arrested and confessed to the crime. At the time of the shooting, Jorden was on probation for a prior, unrelated shooting in 2014 and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In October, Malcolm Jamaal Jorden pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Subsequently, he was sentenced to serve 25 years and three months in prison. This sentence included 18 years for the murder of Bassette and an additional seven years and three months for violating his probation from the 2014 shooting. As part of his sentencing for the murder, an additional 12 years were suspended on the conditions that he maintain good behavior for 40 years and complete a period of supervised probation after his release from prison.
