ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – On Thursday, January 16, the US Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia announced a Roanoke man pled guilty to burning the body of a man he shot and killed in 2023.
30-year-old Joseph Richard Walker pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence.
“The Virginia State Police is committed to bringing violent offenders to justice. Our special agents work tirelessly with our federal and local partners every day to make Virginia a safer place to live,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “This judicial outcome is a victory for the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
A second man, Garrett Isaac Williams, has also been indicted on related charges.
Court documents show that around January 2023, Walker and Williams conspired to distribute marijuana from a Pennsylvania resident referred to as “E.B,” who often traveled to Roanoke to meet Walker and Williams. These meetings were for the purpose of marijuana sales and often occurred at Walker’s Roanoke residence.
It was learned that E.B. inadvertently called Walker’s mother in an attempt to collect money he was owed. The call resulted in Walker and Williams creating a plan to end their relationship with E.B., which included ordering more marijuana, stealing it during the delivery, and then scaring E.B. from ever returning to Virginia in the process.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled to Walker’s home in Roanoke with around 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. While meeting, Walker confronted E.B. about the call made to his mother before shooting and killing him with a .45 caliber Sig Sauer pistol he had concealed.
Walker then dragged the body from his home and placed it into the trunk of E.B.’s car. He then drove to Bedford County and set it on fire.
(Photo Credit: Jemon Haskins)
Before leaving for Bedford County in E.B.’s car, Walker also took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him.
Sentencing has not yet been announced; however, Walker faces up to 35 years in prison. The trial for Garrett Isaac Williams is still pending.
“The Department of Justice has no greater mission than to hold accountable those individuals who commit violence in our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “Our strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are critical in bringing about successful prosecutions of our most violent criminals. The Department will continue to fight against gun violence through important prosecutions like this one and in conjunction with programs such as Project Safe Neighborhoods.”