VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach woman was sentenced to 19 years in prison for killing her roommate in December 2017.
Nancy Michelle Copeland, 51, was sentenced after she was found guilty of second-degree murder, use of a firearm, shooting in the commission of a felony and possession of marijuana in January 2019.
The Commonwealth had evidence that proved on December 1, 2017, Copeland and her roommate, David Gonzalez, lived with two other roommates in the 600 block of Westminster Lane in Virginia Beach. Copeland and Gonzalez got into an argument about her dog.
Gonzalez began to make arrangements to move out, but the argument continued into the afternoon. Copeland took a loaded revolver and confronted Gonzalez in his bedroom.
The two began to struggle over the door, and, as it opened inward toward Gonzalez, Copeland pointed the gun at him and fired. She hit him in the right hand and right chest.
Gonzalez fell to the floor and died after making his way into the hallway. The other roommates tried to help him.
Copeland called the police and said there was a man suffering from a gunshot wound. She told police Gonzalez had been trying to attack another roommate. She also said he tried to grab the gun and it went off.
She then said, "I shot him." During an interview with detectives, Copeland said that she was holding the gun when it went off, but said she fired it accidentally.
The 51-year-old also admitted to detectives that she got the gun from her nightstand in her bedroom and brought it into the hallway where the argument with Gonzalez took place.
On top of the 19 year sentence, Copeland has a fine of $50.