NORFOLK, Va. — A man was sentenced to 30 years on Friday for a deadly shooting, the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said.
This conviction comes after a jury found Tasean Copeland, 31, guilty of second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of murder, recklessly handling a firearm resulting in injury, maliciously shooting at a vehicle and unlawfully shooting at a vehicle.
According to officials, Copeland fatally shot 23-year-old Tracy Eugene Bellamy Jr. in 2021. Copeland had an ongoing feud with Bellamy because he started dating Bellamy's estranged wife, who he shared a two-year-old child.
On February 2, 2021, Bellamy showed up unannounced at his estranged wife's house armed demanding to take his child. He started arguing with Copeland. After arguing, Bellamy took his child and put the child in his car. As Bellamy got into his vehicle, Copeland shot at him several times. Bellamy shot back, hitting no one.
Bellamy was shot in his midsection as he tried to drive away. His car crashed into a parked vehicle blocks away from the home. He was transported to Sentara General Norfolk Hospital, where he later died.
Bellamy's wife called 911 but Copland took the phone. He spoke to dispatch in an attempt to control the narrative, according to the Norfolk's Commonwealth Attorney's Office's press release.
Copeland fled the Commonwealth and was later arrested about a month later in Maricopa County, Arizona, police said. Copeland was sentenced to 30 years in prison with no time suspended followed by three years post-released supervision by the Virginia Parole Board.
“Mr. Copeland killed Mr. Bellamy in front of Mr. Bellamy’s toddler child,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “The last memory that child will have of her father is of her father dying. Mr. Copeland will not spend most of the rest of his life in prison for robbing that child of her father and for taking Mr. Bellamy away from his loved ones forever. I wish Mr. Bellamy’s family peace and hope that they take comfort in the accountability we have secured today.”