A Virginia Beach judge denied bond Friday for Quentell Lawrence, the Navy sailor charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 22-year-old Natasha Forbes, while prosecutors said he remains under investigation in a second death — that of an infant who died in his care just one day before Forbes was killed.
Judge Sends Case to Domestic Relations Court
According to WAVY.com, the judge moved Lawrence's case to Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and scheduled a preliminary hearing for November. The transfer reflects Virginia's legal framework for cases involving family or household members: under Virginia Code § 16.1-241, Virginia's Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts hold exclusive original jurisdiction over criminal offenses where the accused and the alleged victim are relatives or household members, according to the Virginia Judicial System. Court statements and law enforcement reports have revealed that Forbes and Lawrence were in a prior romantic relationship and shared a child together before the fatal shooting.
Lawrence's attorney told the court that Lawrence would return to his apartment if granted bond and noted that he has a sister in Memphis, per the same proceeding. The judge denied bond regardless, keeping Lawrence in custody as the case moves forward.
Shots Fired on Magnolia Chase Way
Lawrence is charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the May 31 death of Forbes. Virginia Beach Police responded to an apartment on Magnolia Chase Way after a report of a woman being choked, and officers found Forbes suffering from gunshot wounds; police reported she died at the scene. Prosecutors said in court that police heard seven to eight shots during the incident, and Lawrence shot himself in the head afterward.
That self-inflicted wound left Lawrence hospitalized in a medically induced coma, and doctors testified in court in June that his chances of recovery were slim, according to 13News Now. Both Forbes and Lawrence were active-duty U.S. Navy sailors stationed in the Hampton Roads region, which brought the Naval Criminal Investigative Service into the investigation alongside Virginia Beach Police.
Infant Death a Day Earlier Remains Open
One day before the shooting, Virginia Beach Police had responded to the same Magnolia Chase Way address for an infant death. The investigation began on May 30 when emergency dispatchers instructed callers to perform CPR on an unresponsive child under one year old inside a car along Lynnhaven Parkway, according to the City of Virginia Beach. The baby was later pronounced dead at a hospital while in Lawrence's care.
Prosecutors said in court that Lawrence is under investigation for the infant's death. Jeff Wilkerson said police were determining whether the prior day's call was directly related to the later shooting, and he described the prior day's call as an ongoing investigation, per the WAVY.com report.
Potential Sentencing Exposure
If convicted of second-degree murder, Lawrence would face five to 40 years of confinement in a state correctional facility under Virginia Code § 18.2-32. The firearm charge carries its own mandatory penalty: using or displaying a firearm during the commission of a felony carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for a first offense under Virginia Code § 18.2-53.1, a term that must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed for the underlying felony, according to Virginia Law.
Broader Context on Domestic Violence in Virginia
Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that fatal family and intimate partner violence accounts for approximately one-third of all homicides committed across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Locally, Virginia Beach Police Department records indicate that shooting incidents and overall violent crimes trended downward from 2024 through 2026.
A formal obituary and community memorial for Natasha Alicia Forbes were published in August by Altmeyer Funeral Home & Crematory in Virginia, marking the close of funeral arrangements for the 22-year-old sailor. All criminal allegations against Lawrence remain unproven accusations pending the outcome of his November preliminary hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
