In the early morning hours of May 2, 2020, the life of 41-year-old Joe Northam of Tasley, Virginia, was tragically cut short in the town of Parksley. Authorities from the Accomack County Sheriff's Office were called to Brainard Street following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Northam on a garage floor, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Joe, an African American male known affectionately as 'Joey' to his friends and family, was born in Nassawadox, Virginia, and had worked various jobs throughout his life, including as an exterminator, a golf course groundskeeper, and most recently as a stock clerk at Walmart.
The investigation into Northam's death quickly led to a suspect. Ambrose Knox, a 30-year-old man from Parksley, was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The altercation that led to the deadly encounter reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a five-dollar loss in a dice game.
During the trial, witness testimony described an escalating confrontation where Northam became aggressive, pushing Knox multiple times and throwing a beverage container at his face, causing an injury. Knox claimed that he acted in self-defense, stating that he was in fear for his safety and believed Northam was reaching for something when he fired the gun. After deliberating, the jury acquitted Ambrose Knox of the murder charge. Jurors later expressed that they felt they were not given adequate options for a conviction, though they believed Knox should have faced some consequence for Northam's death.
