On October 20, 2009, Virginia Beach Circuit Court Judge Stephen Mahan sentenced Carl Lee Walton to life without parole for murdering two female acquaintances in Virginia Beach in December 2005 after a 30-hour alcohol and drug binge.  Four days earlier, Mahan had found Walton guilty of one count of capital murder, two counts of first degree murder, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the murders.

After hearing about a day-and-a-half of sentencing evidence and arguments, Judge Mahan concluded that although death would be an "appropriate" sentence, life without parole was "adequate."  In handing down the life sentence, the judge found that that Walton's alcohol and drug use prior to the murders had affected his ability to reason, and “"and that he acted while severely mentally or emotionally disturbed,".  

At Walton's first trial in June, 2007, Judge Mahan had declared a mistrial after a juror shook hands with a member of one of the victims’ family.

Walton was represented by Timothy Quick of the Southeast Capital Defender’s Office and John Hooker of Virginia Beach.

Additional coverage:  http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/man-sentenced-life-killings-va-beach