VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Cola Beale made his first court appearance in connection to three murders in Hampton Roads on Friday.
Two of the murders happened in Virginia Beach, and the other took place in Norfolk.
Beale, 30, appeared in the court hearing virtually and asked for a public defender, after hearing a judge list the charges against him.
Beale is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 2, 2022.
In two jailhouse interviews with 13News Now, Beale confessed to shooting and killing his girlfriend, Czavi'er Hill and Clifton Baxter, who Beale says "basically raised him."
Beale said he killed Hill and Baxter inside their Virginia Beach homes last week. He also admitted to killing Downing Mclean, his cousin, in Norfolk.
In those interviews, Beale said he felt no remorse and planned to kill more people if the police did not arrest him. Authorities captured Beale in Hampton Wednesday night, after a days-long manhunt.
“I definitely would have got out and let out some steam," said Beale.
Beale has a criminal history. He’s a registered sex offender.
Court records show he was charged in 2017 with sexual battery and crimes involving a minor.
Beale told reporters he is ready to accept any consequence from the courts.
Briefly in court, a representative from the Virginia Beach public defender's office raised questions about Beale's mental health.
A public defender told 13News Now that an attorney will meet with Beale in the next few days.
Based on that meeting, that attorney could ask the court for a mental evaluation, which would likely take place before Beale's preliminary hearing in June.
13News Now asked Beale from jail if he considered himself sane.
“To me being a sound mind right now, is not even … nah," said "Because all I keep seeing is flashbacks of everything, everything when I did it."
Beale is also due in court in Norfolk next Tuesday, April 5 at 8:30 a.m. for the death of Mclean.