Norfolk, VA – A Virginia man will spend nearly four decades in prison for the fatal shooting of an 84-year-old convenience store owner during a confrontation outside a store in late 2023. The Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced Friday that 42-year-old Bruce Hisle was sentenced to 38 years in prison after being convicted last summer of second-degree murder, felony homicide, malicious wounding, and multiple firearm offenses.
According to court records, the incident occurred on the evening of December 20, 2023, when Hisle and his brother, Dennis Hisle Jr., were selling liquor from their van across the street from the Triple-C convenience store on Lindenwood Avenue. Sitting in the front seat was Tamika Credle, the mother of Hisle’s children.
Authorities said two men had approached from across the street to speak with the Hisle brothers. One man, reportedly intoxicated, began challenging Bruce Hisle about wearing a long trench coat, accusing him of hiding guns beneath it. Witnesses told investigators that tensions escalated quickly as Hisle became visibly angry.
A second man crossed the street in an attempt to defuse the situation, speaking calmly with Dennis Hisle. However, by that time, Bruce Hisle had moved toward the front of the van, continuing to argue with the first man. The confrontation ended tragically when gunfire erupted, killing 84-year-old store owner James Robert Carter.
- Bruce Hisle sentenced to 38 years in prison
- Victim identified as 84-year-old store owner James Robert Carter
- Incident began as street confrontation outside Norfolk convenience store
Prosecutors said Carter, a longtime neighborhood business owner, was struck and killed amid the dispute. The court’s sentence reflects the severity of the crime and the loss suffered by Carter’s family and community.
