Williamsburg man pleaded guilty to murder charge

A Williamsburg man entered a guilty plea to end his murder case just short of trial.

Michael Lee Worley entered the plea as part of an agreement for a 25 year prison sentence.

Worley was charged with murder in 2019 after an R-Tech driver reportedly witnessed Worley choke his aunt Wanda Richardson, who was 58 at the time of her death, in her front yard.

When police arrived at the scene, a man was seen fleeing the area, according to Worley’s arrest citation.

Williamsburg Police Lt. Bobby Freeman pursued the man, who was later identified as Worley, until he returned to surrender himself to police, said Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird in 2019.

Officers found the victim lying unresponsive in the road. She had allegedly suffered blunt force trauma to the head and three stab wounds to the neck.

“It never undoes the tragedy and heartache this defendant selfishly caused when he stole Wanda Richardson from her family,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Bowling.

“No sentence will ever do that; and our heart breaks for the sadness this tragedy has inflicted,” said Bowling. “But, it ensures a violent offender is removed from our community, and our streets are safer.”

Bowling credits the Williamsburg Police Department for its work investigating the case by saying, “Great investigation by Lt. Bobby Freeman, Chief Wayne Bird and the WPD!”