
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 2, 1994                    TAG: 9406020745 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: NORFOLK 
DATELINE: 940602                                 LENGTH: Short

DRUG DEALER SENTENCED IN PARTNER'S KILLING

{LEAD} A jury on Wednesday convicted a 27-year-old drug dealer of murdering his partner, and recommended life plus two years in prison.

Theodore D. Sullivan was found guilty of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the March 27, 1993, killing of Hosea Monroe Jr. in Ocean View. Sullivan was originally charged with capital murder, but the jury lowered the charge and dropped a robbery count after five hours of deliberation.

{REST} At the time of the murder, Sullivan and Monroe were partners in small-time drug deals in Ocean View. Monroe's body was found in an abandoned car in Ocean View in the early hours of March 27. Sullivan was reportedly the last person to see the victim alive, and was seen riding around Ocean View with him several hours before the body was discovered.

Police charged Sullivan with capital murder because he allegedly robbed Monroe of a pager during the killing, but the jury didn't believe that argument and lowered the charge to first-degree murder.

Sullivan will be sentenced Aug. 4.

{KEYWORDS} MURDER CONVICTION TRIAL

by CNB