Michael Julian Wolfe, 26, of Clifton Forge, was sentenced in Alleghany County Circuit Court Monday, September 12, 2022 to serve 25 years in the penitentiary for the August 9, 2021 murder of Randall Lee Tinsley, 26, of Low Moor. On May 31, 2022, Wolfe entered pleas of guilty to Second Degree Felony Murder and Felony Eluding.
Before sentencing Wolfe, Alleghany Circuit Court Judge Edward K. Stein heard evidence presented by both Wolfe and the Commonwealth. Alleghany County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Gardner presented testimony from the victim’s mother, Teresa Tinsley, who detailed the devastating loss suffered by her family who considered Randall Tinsley to be “the glue” that held their family together. For the charge of Felony Murder, Wolfe was sentenced to 40 years in the penitentiary to be suspended after he serves an active sentence of 25 years. For a second charge of Eluding, Wolfe was sentenced to five years all suspended. The 25 year active sentence was the maximum sentence recommended by the Virginia Sentencing Guidelines presented to the Court.
On August 9, 2021, Wolfe was fleeing from Clifton Forge Police Officer Shawn Urban at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his car on Selma-Low Moor Road and veered into the on-coming lane colliding with a moped driven by Tinsley who died at the scene. After the impact, Wolfe spun around and fled in the opposite direction before crashing his car and fleeing on foot down the railroad tracks. A law enforcement helicopter and tracking dogs were used to search for Wolfe. With the help of Sergeant Tim Wright of the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office, Wolfe was eventually located and apprehended by Virginia State Police Trooper Benjamin Hobbs later that evening in a parking lot at Mountain View Plaza in Troutville. In a follow-up investigation, Trooper Hobbs was able to recover drug paraphernalia and a quantity of methamphetamine Wolfe discarded as he fled.
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