THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 2, 1995 TAG: 9512020573
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
A Navy petty officer was convicted Friday of murdering his wife and sentenced to 29 years in prison after a five-day court-martial.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Derek L. McGraw, 24, was arrested June 11 by Norfolk police. He was accused of shooting his wife, Cherie McGraw, in the face with a handgun as the two were driving in Ocean View with a friend.
Norfolk authorities agreed to let the Navy prosecute McGraw. He was stationed aboard the Norfolk-based submarine tender L.Y. Spear. The Kirkwood, Mo., native and father of four enlisted in the Navy in July 1994 and had no previous criminal record.
The Navy convicted McGraw on a charge similar to second degree murder. He also was dishonorably discharged, fined $300 a month for the length of his imprisonment and reduced in rank to E-1.
The couple lived in the 1300 block of Myers Road.
The third person in the car, another sailor from the L.Y. Spear, was not implicated in the crime.
KEYWORDS: MURDER MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM COURT-MARTIAL by CNB