Judge Vacates Virginia Man's Murder Conviction; He Walks Free After 25 Years
The deal ends decades of appeals and sets up Wolfe’s release after 25 years in prison, including 13 years on death row.
- On Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, Justin Michael Wolfe was released from the Prince William County Jail after accepting a plea deal that ended his 25-year incarceration for a 2001 murder conviction.
- In 2002, Wolfe, then a 19-year-old marijuana dealer from Fairfax, was convicted of the 2001 murder-for-hire of Daniel Petrole, his supplier, and sentenced to death after prosecutors alleged he owed Petrole $60,000.
- A federal appellate court found Wolfe was a victim of prosecutorial misconduct, and Judge Carl Weimer vacated the conviction after the only witness, Owen Barber, recanted his testimony in 2023.
- Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth announced the resolution on Monday, which includes a 28-year sentence with three years suspended and time served, ending decades of litigation.
- Petrole's family released a statement expressing relief that the legal process has concluded, while Wolfe said Tuesday he hopes to advocate for criminal justice reform after his quarter-century behind bars.
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31 Articles
My Mother Lode
The Seattle TimesJudge vacates Virginia man’s murder conviction; he walks free after 25 years
A Virginia man’s murder conviction has been vacated and he has been freed from prison after spending 25 years behind bars — including more than a decade on death row. Justin Michael Wolfe ’s release on Monday marks the end of a complex legal saga that at one point had him just days away from...
Judge vacates Virginia man's murder conviction; he walks free aft
A Virginia man’s murder conviction has been vacated and he has been freed from prison after spending 25 years behind bars — including more than a decade on death row. Justin Michael Wolfe ’s release on Monday
InsideNoVA.com
The Center SquareVirginia inmate released after 25 years in disputed murder case
(The Center Square) – A Virginia man who once faced the death penalty was released Monday after about 25 years in prison under an agreement resolving a murder case that spent decades moving through state and federal courts.
After 25 years in prison, Justin Wolfe to be released in Prince William County murder-for-hire case – WTOP News
Justin Michael Wolfe will be released from custody as soon as Monday night after serving 25 years in prison, including 13 on death row, for a 2001 murder-for-hire scheme in Prince William County he always denied.
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