In the quiet of a Charlottesville home, just after midnight, the life of 11-year-old Aziz Damar Booth was tragically cut short. On June 3, 2008, a knock at the door from an acquaintance shattered the peace of the night. Waverly “Eddie” Whitlock, a 27-year-old man known to the family, initially asked to borrow a small sum of money. The request was a ruse, a prelude to a violent robbery that would end in a senseless murder.
Once inside, Whitlock brandished a 9mm pistol and proceeded to ransack the home. He filled the young boy's own backpack with video games and electronics. Aziz and his mother's boyfriend, 23-year-old Rueben Lewis III, were ordered to lie face-down on the kitchen floor. In a final, heart-wrenching plea, the young boy was heard saying, “Please don’t, I love my mama,” before Whitlock fired a single shot into each of them. Aziz was pronounced dead at the scene, while Lewis sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation quickly led to Waverly 'Eddie' Whitlock, who turned himself into the police later that morning. He was charged with a litany of offenses, including capital murder, robbery, and malicious wounding. The community was left in shock, mourning the loss of a sixth-grader from Walker Upper Elementary School who was remembered for his big smile and a passion for basketball. He had just participated in a graduation ceremony the Friday before his death.
In a surprising turn during the legal proceedings, Whitlock initially sought the death penalty for his crimes. However, after a competency hearing, he changed his mind. Accepting a plea agreement that was supported by Aziz's grieving family, who did not wish for another death, Whitlock pleaded guilty to 10 crimes. The plea resulted in a sentence of six life terms plus an additional 33 years, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the brutal and senseless murder of a young boy.
