NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – In court on Thursday, Norfolk police revealed what they believe a murder suspect’s motive was when he killed his cousin, just days after he was accused of killing his girlfriend and another loved one.
Cola Beale IV is facing murder charges in both Norfolk and Virginia Beach. He’s accused of killing his girlfriend, Czavi’er Hill, on March 22 and his father figure, 73-year-old Clifton Baxter, just a couple days later on March 25th. Both of those killings happened in Virginia Beach.
On March 28th, police say Beale shot and killed his cousin, Downing McLean, in Norfolk.
In court on Thursday, Norfolk Sgt. Daryl Jarvis said he interviewed Beale shortly after he was arrested.
During that interview, Jarvis said Beale told him that he had gone to McLean’s home on March 28 to talk about killing someone else on McLean’s behalf. But then the two cousins got into a fight, prompting Beale to shoot him in the face. When he didn’t immediately go down, Beale shot him again in the back.
The judge certified the McLean case, meaning it will now go to a grand jury.
He appeared in court in Virginia Beach last month. Evidence was presented that showed Beale admitted to detectives he tied up his girlfriend Czavi’er Hill to a bed at a home on Baccalaureate Drive in Virginia Beach on March 22, before killing her. Two days later, investigators say he returned to the home to burn it down, killing Hill’s dog as well.
Detectives say Beale admitted he also killed 73-year-old Clifton Baxter on March 25 and stole his safe, which contained around $20,000. Baxter was reportedly a father figure to Beale.
Beale is facing charges in connection with a third murder, that of his cousin Downing McLean, in Norfolk on March 28. He was in a Norfolk courtroom Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing in this case, during which the case was certified to Circuit Court.
WAVY’s Julie Millet was at court monitoring developments. Look for her coverage beginning on WAVY News 10 at 4 p.m.