Lynchburg man guilty of murder in city cab driver's shooting death (2024)

A Lynchburg man pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder in connection with a city cab driver’s February 2023 shooting death.

Dabney Maurice Thomas Jr., 34, was convicted in Lynchburg Circuit Court on Wednesday of the murder charge and one count of using a firearm in commission of a felony. Two other charges, reckless handling of a firearm and discharging a firearm in city limits, both resulting in serious injury, were dropped in accordance with a plea agreement.

A seven-minute video surveillance clip of the incident captured from a city resident’s backyard with a view of Morson Street, where the shooting took place Feb. 9, 2023, was played in court Wednesday before Judge F. Patrick Yeatts.

City police officers responded to the 2600 block of Morson Street after reports of shots fired at 3:31 p.m. that day, the Lynchburg Police Department has said. Upon arrival, officers found Carroll Mack, 62, of Lynchburg, with a gunshot wound, LPD said in a news release. Despite life-saving efforts, Mack died from his injuries.

Thomas was determined as a suspect during the investigation and search warrants were executed for two residences on Cobbs Street and Monroe Street, Lynchburg Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Chelsea Webster said.

Webster said when police arrived at the scene of the shooting, two bystanders flagged them down. Mack was found lying unresponsive on the driver’s side of the cab. The autopsy three days later determined the cause of death was gunshot wound to the chest, Webster said.

The investigation immediately after Mack’s shooting led two LPD detectives to Cobb Street, where the cab had picked up its most recent passenger, and two witnesses were interviewed, Webster said. While on Cobb Street, the detectives observed a man matching the description of the suspect who appeared nervous and was carrying a backpack get into a black Nissan, which drove off, Webster said.

Detectives alerted other officers to be on the lookout, the car was located at a business on Wards Road in Lynchburg and Thomas was taken into custody, Webster said. Thomas’ girlfriend worked at the business and the vehicle was operated by an Uber driver, who police interviewed, Webster said.

The Uber driver told investigators Thomas was “twitchy” and making “odd statements” during the ride.

In the surveillance video of the street that captured the cab pulling to a stop in broad daylight, Mack is seen getting out of the car and is heard telling Thomas multiple times “get on out, sir.”

Mack can also be heard in the video saying “I don’t want to hear it” and the exchange quickly turns to him telling Thomas: “You don’t want to go to jail, sir” and to put a gun away.

Webster said Thomas told Mack “take me home” and Mack told him “No problem” and “I’ll take you home, get in the car.” She said the exchange turned physical, Thomas shoved Mack to the ground, sounds of a struggle were heard and a vehicle pulled up with two passersby, Webster said.

Mack told the bystanders “he pulled a gun on me” and wanted them to call police, Webster said. A single gunshot then rang out, the prosecutor said.

Webster said after the single shot was fired, Thomas looked around, picked up the gun and a bag and walked away from the scene. During the investigation and upon police talking to his girlfriend and looking at screenshots of phone correspondence, Thomas intended to go to Baltimore that day but decided not to, Webster said.

A search conducted of Thomas’ father’s residence on the 2000 block of Cobbs Street located a firearm with several red stains on it, she said. A residence on Monroe Street where Thomas and his girlfriend lived also was searched and police found a coat and jeans with bloodstains on them, according to Webster.

Thomas was interviewed, providing police with various versions of the incident, initially professing ignorance and after being confronted with the video footage said it wasn’t him, Webster said. The defendant told investigators Mack didn’t like him and “dragged” him out of the cab because he thought he was drunk, she said.

“He continued to deny he had done anything,” Webster said of Thomas’ statements to police.

Thomas then said “the other guy” shot Mack and ran away and contradicted himself during the interrogation, Webster said. The story changed to Mack producing the gun, tried to shoot Thomas and accidentally wounding himself, Webster said.

Later in the interview, Thomas admitted to having the gun for about two months prior to the shooting and said he knew he “serious s—-,” Webster said. On the drive to the jail after the interview, an officer heard Thomas say “I f—-’d up my life” and “I knew I shouldn’t have held the gun,” Webster said.

The defense did not add have any remarks following Webster’s summary of evidence.

Mack, a 1979 graduate of Heritage High School, was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps after three years of service and held several jobs before becoming an owner/operator Allied Cab driver, according to his obituary.

After finding Thomas guilty of the two charges, Yeatts set a sentencing hearing for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 11.