LANCASTER—On Thursday, February 15, Sevin Shykim Noel, 22, of Lottsburg pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and shooting in commission of a felony in connection with the June 26, 2023, death of Nickolas Van-Jor Chinn, 22, of Heathsville.
Lancaster County Circuit Court Judge R. Michael McKenney accepted the plea agreement which called for a total sentence of 15 years with five years suspended.
Noel was originally charged with the first degree murder of Chinn, who was shot four times during an illegal gun deal. His body was found in the road at Shore Drive and Lancaster Creek Road in Morattico, along with a pistol and counterfeit money. Additional counterfeit money was later found in his pocket, according to Lancaster Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Spencer.
The pain of loss was palpable as Nickolas’s mother, Betsy Chinn, gave a victim impact statement. She said the last time she spoke to her son was over the phone at Walmart. “I was not even to the parking lot before I got a phone call that Nickolas had been shot. 23 years in nursing I’ve saved so many people but I couldn’t save my own son. You think birthing a child is painful? Try burying one.”
She also directed a comment to Noel, saying, “You just don’t know what you did.”
Chinn directed anger at Spencer regarding the plea agreement….
