In the summer of 2011, a young Black/African American man's life was cut short in Newport News, Virginia. Twenty-two-year-old Khylief Thorpe, a male resident of the city, was found deceased on July 3rd inside a residence in the 300 block of 72nd Street. The discovery was made after Newport News police received a tip from law enforcement in the neighboring city of Norfolk concerning a potential homicide victim.
When officers arrived at the Newport News apartment, they found Thorpe on the living room floor, having sustained fatal gunshot wounds. The case was immediately classified as a homicide.
The investigation quickly centered on Khylief Thorpe’s roommate, 21-year-old Ian Altman. Shortly after Thorpe’s body was discovered, Altman was found unconscious in a Norfolk hotel room. He was transported to a local hospital for medical attention. The circumstances leading to his condition were not publicly detailed, but authorities suspected his involvement in Thorpe’s death. Police officials stated that an argument between the two roommates had escalated, tragically ending in the shooting.
Upon his release from the hospital, Ian Altman was taken into custody and formally charged with the murder of Khylief Thorpe. In addition to the murder charge, he also faced a count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. The case against Altman then began to move through the judicial system. Court proceedings were initiated, and a plea hearing was scheduled and later continued to December of 2012, at which time a trial date was anticipated to be set. However, the final disposition of the charges against Ian Altman, including whether the case went to trial, resulted in a conviction, or was resolved in another manner, is not available in the public record.
