ROANOKE, Va. — Joseph Richard Walker, 30, of Roanoke, pleaded guilty on Thursday to possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The plea stems from a fatal confrontation that took place in April 2023, where Walker shot and killed his drug supplier during a robbery.
According to court documents, Walker and his co-conspirator, 21-year-old Garrett Isaac Williams of Lynchburg, had been sourcing marijuana from a supplier in Pennsylvania known only as “E.B.” The two men had built a distribution network that brought large quantities of marijuana to the Roanoke area.
The fatal incident occurred when E.B. traveled to Walker’s home to deliver marijuana. Earlier in 2023, E.B. had attempted to collect money owed to him from Walker’s mother, which led the men to plan to rob E.B. of his marijuana supply. Instead of paying the debt, Walker and Williams decided to confront E.B. and steal the drugs.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. arrived at Walker’s residence with approximately 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Armed with a Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol, Walker shot E.B. twice, killing him. Walker then transported E.B.’s body to Bedford County, where he set it on fire to conceal the crime.
Walker now faces up to 35 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee emphasized the importance of holding violent offenders accountable and highlighted the collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement in bringing this case to justice.
