Man sentenced to 35 years for murdering marijuana supplier and burning the body.

A Virginia man, Joseph Richard Walker, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for the robbery and murder of his drug supplier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced this decision on Wednesday, highlighting the severity of the crimes committed. Walker, aged 30, had previously pleaded guilty in February to charges that included using a firearm during a drug-related violent crime and committing Hobbs Act robbery, a federal offense concerning robbery that affects interstate commerce.

Walker and an accomplice, Garrett Isaac Williams, had established a relationship with a Pennsylvania man to purchase marijuana, which they intended to distribute. This illicit arrangement began in December 2021 and was characterized by numerous transactions at Walker’s residence in Roanoke. However, the dynamic shifted dramatically in April 2023 after an unfortunate incident where the supplier, identified in court documents as E.B., mistakenly contacted Walker’s mother while attempting to collect a drug debt owed by Williams.

Following this phone incident, Walker and Williams plotted to steal a significant amount of marijuana from E.B. as a means to intimidate him and prevent his return to Virginia. On April 17, 2023, E.B. arrived at Walker’s home, where a confrontation ensued over the previous phone call. During this altercation, Walker escalated the situation by robbing his supplier and fatally shooting him twice with a semiautomatic pistol.

To conceal his actions, Walker then transported E.B.’s body from his home to the trunk of E.B.’s own vehicle and drove to Bedford County, Virginia, where he set the car ablaze in an effort to eliminate evidence of the crime.

In April 2024, federal authorities charged both Walker and Williams with numerous federal offenses related to the robbery and murder. Walker’s guilty plea came on January 16, 2025, leading to his sentencing. Meanwhile, Williams has also entered a guilty plea concerning similar charges and is currently awaiting his sentencing hearing.

The case underscores the severe legal repercussions associated with drug-related violence and serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers inherent in illegal narcotics trafficking. The judicial system continues to address such violent crimes with stringent measures to deter future offenses.