On the evening of May 29, 2019, in the small town of Painter, Virginia, 40-year-old Alvin Rogers Jr. was found deceased inside his vehicle on Boggs Road. An African American male, Rogers had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the torso. The Accomack County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of shots fired around 9:15 p.m. and discovered Rogers's van, which had crashed into a tree. It appeared he had been attempting to back up when he was shot.
Bullet holes were found in the windshield of the vehicle.
The investigation into the homicide led to the arrests of three individuals. In August 2019, Bronta Jamar Ames, then 22, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was identified as the shooter in what was described as a drug deal that escalated into a robbery. Authorities stated that Ames and others had arranged to meet with Rogers to purchase marijuana. During the encounter, Ames fired a 9mm pistol into Rogers's moving vehicle.
Two other young men were also implicated in the crime. Nyxavier Riekem Snead, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was charged as an accomplice. Investigators believed Snead also had a gun and was standing by the driver's side door during the shooting. He initially denied involvement but later admitted to his role. A third individual, X'Zavyon Devour Corbin, also 17 at the time, was present during the incident and was charged with attempted robbery.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of resolution to the case. Bronta Jamar Ames pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to serve more than 25 years in prison. Nyxavier Riekem Snead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder, attempted robbery, and a firearm charge, receiving a sentence that required him to serve 14 years. X'Zavyon Devour Corbin pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was sentenced to 10 years, with seven years suspended. The prosecutor noted that they did not believe Corbin was a participant in the plan to murder Rogers.
