In the autumn of 2005, a dedicated police officer's life was cut short in a sudden act of violence. Stanley Cornell Reaves, a 33-year-old male officer with the Norfolk Police Department, was on duty on the evening of October 28th. While patrolling near the intersection of West 27th Street and DeBree Avenue, he was flagged down by a concerned citizen who reported a suspicious person in the vicinity.
Responding to the call of duty, Officer Reaves located the individual and exited his
patrol car to investigate. Without any warning, the man, later identified as 29-year-old Thomas Alexander Porter, produced a handgun and opened fire on the unsuspecting officer. Officer Reaves was struck by the gunfire and rushed to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries. He had served on the Norfolk police force for a year, having previously been with the Baltimore City Police Department for 11 years. He left behind a wife and two young children.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for the suspect ensued. The investigation quickly led authorities to Thomas Porter, who had fled the state. On November 2, 2005, he was apprehended in White Plains, New York. Porter was charged with capital murder of a police officer, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and grand larceny.
On March 7, 2007, a jury found Porter guilty on all counts. He was subsequently sentenced to death for the murder of Officer Reaves, with an additional 22 years for the other charges. However, his death sentence was later commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Over the years, Porter filed appeals, arguing that the jury was biased, but these were ultimately dismissed.
