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Norfolk man who shot friend in the head after an argument to serve 22 years

Crystal Graham
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A Norfolk man was sentenced today to serve 22 years in prison for shooting a friend in the head after an argument in 2021.

Travarish Depree Carpenter, 31, was sentenced by Judge David W. Lannetti to 48 years in prison, with all but 22 years suspended on the conditions that Carpenter complete 10 years of uniform good behavior and an indeterminate period of supervised probation.

The victim of the June 12, 2021, shooting underwent several surgeries to treat his injuries, including having parts of his skull removed, and will experience permanent motor skills, balance issues and paralysis on his left side.

Carpenter was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court for aggravated malicious wounding, using a firearm in the commission of aggravated malicious wounding and being a convicted violent felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, Carpenter, the victim and others were inside an apartment on the 300 block of East Little Creek Road on June 12, 2021. Carpenter and the victim began arguing and engaged in a fist fight, and Carpenter was thrown out of the residence.

About 45 minutes later, Carpenter returned with a gun and banged on the front door. The victim answered the door, the two began arguing again, and Carpenter pointed his gun at the victim. The victim shut the door, but Carpenter shot through it, and a bullet struck the victim in his head.

The others inside the apartment witnessed the shooting and were unharmed.

Carpenter has a 2015 felony conviction from Chesapeake of malicious wounding — for which he was on probation at the time of the Norfolk shooting — and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Norfolk Police secured warrants for Carpenter’s arrest, and, in August 2021, Carpenter was detained by police in Bloomington, Ill. After being extradited back to Norfolk, Carpenter confessed to shooting the victim.

Carpenter pleaded guilty to his charges on Sept. 19, 2023, with a sentencing cap of just under 25 years as part of his agreement, and Lannetti accepted his plea.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.