NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — 13News Now is learning new information about a homicide that unfolded in the middle of a busy road Monday afternoon near Christopher Newport University (CNU) in Newport News.
On Tuesday morning, police investigators said they arrested and charged the man who surrendered near the crime scene. He admitted, not once but twice, to shooting someone traveling in the same car as him, according to newly-filed court paperwork.
Treveon Samuels was identified as the suspect now facing gun and murder charges. Samuels is 22 years old and lives in Newport News, court documents show.
On Monday, Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters a shooting in a car headed northbound ended with a crash next to the southbound lanes of Warwick Boulevard. Police investigators said Samuels and Daysjon Yasper, 22, of Newport News were inside.
Yasper was named as the victim, who died at the scene.
“It’s just so much going on. It’s a lot of crime going on in Newport News," said Shirley Holley, a longtime resident of Newport News.
Additionally, the chief communications officer for CNU emailed 13News Now saying they could not find records indicating Yasper or Samuels are students.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by 13News Now, witnesses recalled seeing a man get out of a car while it was in motion and then walk to the other side of the street.
The complaint said the car crossed the median and ultimately flipped on its driver's side.
Police officers believe the man who walked away is Samuels; they said he made his way back to the crash site.
A sergeant recalled seeing Samuels and hearing him willingly admit to shooting Yasper. Detectives then took Samuels in for questioning at police headquarters. When there, one detective wrote in the criminal complaint that Samuels confessed again to the shooting.
People we spoke with expressed relief hearing about an arrest and learning no bystanders were hurt.
“I’m glad they caught them though, the suspect," Holley added.
Police investigators also reported finding a gun inside the car and a gun near the car, after responding to the incident.
Samuels declined an interview from jail on Tuesday.
It is still not clear what caused the shooting to happen. The criminal complaint stated Samuels offered a reason to detectives. However, they they did not attach it to the complaint, because they said they cannot corroborate it.
Furthermore, online records show Samuels will appear in front of a judge next in relation to this case in December.
13News Now also obtained court documents which outline a criminal history for Samuels. For one, he is accused of committing a violent robbery in May and is under competency evaluation for that case.
