Suspect Pleads Guilty In Stafford County Murder Case: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A man from North Carolina pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Stafford County Circuit Court on Monday. Police said the man, George Batts, shot a victim several times at the Tuckahoe Motorcycle Club on Jan. 17, 2021.

Batts will face a maximum of 17 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2022.

Stafford County deputies were called to the Tuckahoe Motorcycle Club on International Parkway on Jan. 17, 2021 for a report of a shooting.

Investigators later determined that Batts shot the victim several times. Authorities identified the victim as Ely Grimes, a 47-year-old from Stafford.

When deputies tried to arrest Batts after the shooting, he refused to drop the handgun, according to the sheriff's office. Police also claimed that Batts prevented deputies from providing first aid.

Deputies shot Batts after he pointed the handgun at them, according to the police report. "Contrary to information presented in court yesterday, the handgun Batts brandished at law enforcement was loaded with a round in the chamber and several in the magazine," the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said in a report on Tuesday.

Grimes was taken to the hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. Deputies and medics also provided first aid to Batts at the scene, authorities said.

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