Virginia man forced victim to strip before killing him; sentenced to 49 years in prison

A Virginia man who forced his victim to strip down to his underwear before shooting him in the neck and shoulder, and leaving him to bleed to death, was sentenced on Friday.

Lamont Sean Smallwood, 34, was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court following his jury conviction earlier this year, and subsequent probation violations, for the second-degree murder of 26-year-old Paul Lawrence Robinson.

On Friday, Judge Robert B. Rigney sentenced Smallwood to an active term of 20 years and nine months in prison for murder, and five years in prison for the use of a firearm in the commission of murder. That sentence will run consecutive to an active term of 24 years in prison that Judge Tasha D. Scott imposed on Smallwood on July 31 for violating his probation by committing this murder. Smallwood’s total active prison sentence is 49 years and nine months.

According to court records, on the night of May 29, 2022, Smallwood encountered Robinson in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 700 block of B Avenue.

The two men spoke with one another and numerous witnesses outside the building before Smallwood pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at Robinson. Smallwood proceeded to take Robinson’s gun, knock him to the ground, beat him and order him to strip down to his underwear.

Smallwood then shot Robinson in his neck and shoulder before driving off, leaving him to bleed to death.

High-resolution video footage showed the incident clearly enough for Norfolk Police to identify Smallwood and the vehicle. The police were also able to recover Smallwood’s fingerprint from the scene.

No eyewitnesses came forward. One key witness, who was not present at the crime scene, identified Smallwood at trial from the video and the car he was driving.

On March 16, a Norfolk jury convicted Smallwood of second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of murder.

“Mr. Smallwood will serve a long sentence, but that sentence reflects the senselessness of his crime and his prior violent history,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “I give my condolences to Mr. Robinson’s family and my appreciation to the witness who came forward to help us prove our case in court.”