NORFOLK, Va. — On Friday, a judge sentenced a man for a 2021 shooting death in a Norfolk hotel room.
According to the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, 23-year-old Gary Dewayne Toone Jr. was sentenced to seven years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in a shooting that killed 33-year-old Matthew Scott Philbrick.
On Oct. 14, 2021, Norfolk police responded to a report of a dead body at the Quality Inn on Premium Outlets Boulevard.
According to the Norfolk CA, Philbrick could be seen on security footage roaming around the hotel before the shooting.
Philbrick reportedly knocked on Toone's hotel room and another person opened the door. Philbrick then asked if anyone knew where the laundry room was.
Several people in the room, including Toone, reportedly said they didn't know where the laundry room was and "slammed the door in Mr. Philbrick's face."
Philbrick forced the door back open and rushed toward Toone, who pulled out a gun and shot Philbrick, according to the CA. Toone and others in the room reportedly fled the scene.
The CA says Philbrick was unarmed and was pronounced dead shortly after medics got to the hotel room.
Norfolk police say they found Toone several hours later in a different hotel in Chesapeake. Toone reportedly confessed to shooting Philbrick and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on June 16, 2022.
On Friday, a judge sentenced Toone to 10 years, with three years suspended. The suspended sentence is "conditioned upon uniform good behavior while in custody and for 10 years following his release from prison as well as indeterminate supervised probation upon his release."
