A man was sentenced to 55 years to life in prison for the first-degree murder of 43-year-old Derrick Lee Walthall,who was using a wheelchair when he was killed in Stockton on March 31.
Henry Heath, 52, was sentenced on Monday, Sept. 21 by San Joaquin County Superior Judge Seth Hoyt following his conviction of the murder of Walthall. He was also found guilty of the personal and intentional use of a firearm causing death.
Prosecutors said Walthall, a North Highlands resident, was shot multiple times while seated in his wheelchair.
Stockton police said officers responded at 12:35 a.m. to the area on a report of a person shot. Walthall was found suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Surveillance footage captured parts of the shooting which helped investigators identify the suspect vehicle and the shooter, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said the shooter, Heath, was initially known by the nickname “Trouble” before he was identified.
Investigators said they were able to track the vehicle from the homicide to a North Stockton motel using Flock technology.
Footage also identified co-defendants Amanda Chapple and Brian Hansen, the DA’s office said.
According to investigators, Hansen assisted Heath after the shooting by getting rid of the suspect vehicle and firearm.
Hansen previously pleaded guilty and was convicted of accessory to murder and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was sentenced to five years, four months in state prison, based on a prior strike for his role in the case.
Chapple provided her vehicle and helped Heath leave the area to avoid arrest, according to prosecutors.
Heath and Chapple were located by law enforcement on April 7 hearing toward Sacramento. Officers, assisted by the Sacramento Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service, were able to follow and stop the vehicle.
The DA’s office said, Chapple, who was driving, attempted to move the vehicle away from law enforcement before officers used a maneuver. Heath was in the front passenger seat.
The pair were arrested and take back to San Joaquin County.
During a jury trial that began on July 22, a jury returned guilty verdicts on Aug. 22 for Heath and Chapple.
Chapple was convicted of accessory to murder and pleaded guilty to theft by fraud in an unrelated incident involving an attempted fraudulent return at Home Depot.
She was sentenced to five years, four months in state prison, based on a prior strike for her role in the case, the DA’s office said.
“Mr. Walthall’s family has endured an unimaginable loss," San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a news release. “The death or harm of a vulnerable person reflects the callousness of such a crime. This case demonstrates the importance of investigators and prosecutors working alongside our law enforcement partners to follow the evidence, identify those responsible, and hold them accountable for their roles.”
Walthall's death marked the sixth homicide of the year in Stockton.
Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Man sentenced to 55 years in prison for Stockton shooting death
