VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A judge has given convicted killer Cola Beale multiple life sentences for the murders of two people in Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach Circuit Court Judge James C. Lewis sentenced Beale to two life terms without the possibility of parole, one life term, 62 years, and 12 months. This sentence also includes three probation violation charges, as Beale was on probation for three separate sets of charges while he committed these murders.
Beale went on a killing spree in 2022 and led police on a days-long manhunt.
On March 22, 2022, Beale killed his girlfriend, Czavier Hill. Police later found his father figure, Clifton Baxter, dead on March 25. Then in Norfolk, on March 28, he killed his cousin Downing McLean. He was arrested in Hampton on March 31.
Earlier this year, he was found guilty of two of the murders in Virginia Beach, which is what he'll be sentenced for on Tuesday. Beale was convicted of aggravated murder, abduction, arson, torture of an animal to death, and gun charges.
When he was found guilty on all counts, he had an outburst in the courtroom, saying "Can we get this over with?" The judge then ordered a deputy to take Beale out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
After the guilty verdict, Beale spoke with 13News Now behind bars again, where he said he thought he'd be sentenced immediately.
On Tuesday, a judge gave Beale three life sentences, 62 years, and 12 months for all of his convictions:
- Life for the murder of Czavier Hill
- Life for the murder of Clifton Baxter
- Life for arson of a dwelling
- 10 years arson of property
- 5 years for gun charge
- 5 years for gun charge
- 5 years for cruelty of an animal
- 10 years for abduction
- Plus 27 years and 12 months for violating probation from other charges.
“Life is not yours to take," said Clifton Baxter’s sister, Sherry Banks. "He went over to Vietnam and fought for our freedom and then he came home to die on his own soil? No.”
That’s what Banks told Cola Beale inside the courtroom when sharing a victim impact statement Tuesday morning. She told the judge Baxter raised Beale and couldn’t understand why Beale would take his life.
“Every day has been hard and it’s going to be hard until my Heavenly Father calls me home,” she said.
Hill's parents also spoke at Beale's sentencing hearing. Her father described Beale as a "monster."
"The monster executed my daughter," he said. "I sit here and I hurt... to know that she was executed by someone she opened her house to, opened her heart to, hurts."
Hill's mother said she has a "permanent hole" in her heart following Hill's death.
Prosecutors said Beale was on probation when he was on his killing spree. They said Beale had a terrible record, which included robberies and sexual battery.
Prosecutors said his "criminal bingo card is full," adding Beale has nothing to offer to society.
“There are certain things that were expected due to the nature of the charges,” said Beale's lawyer, Trevor Robinson. “He has since expressed to me his remorse for his transgression.”
It won't be the last sentencing for Beale. In May, he was found guilty again in Norfolk for the murder of his cousin, Downing McLean. Beale will be sentenced for that murder in Norfolk next month.