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Woman sentenced to life in prison for killing taxi driver in Hanover

Posted at 6:31 PM, May 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-03 18:34:49-04

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — A woman was sentenced to life and prison, plus 20 years Tuesday, for the murder of a Hopewell taxi driver in August of 2014.

Alisa N. Dejesus received life in prison for the first-degree murder of 26-year-old James Wells, a Navy veteran. The additional 20 years was for abducting Wells and committing arson. Dejesus’ boyfriend, Dyshawn D. Simpson, was previously sentenced to life after pleading guilty to Well’s murder in 2015.

Alisa N. Dejesus, 19, and Dyshawn D. Simpson, 20,

Alisa N. Dejesus, 19, and Dyshawn D. Simpson, 20,

In August of 2014, Wells’ body was found in his burned out taxi cab in Hanover County. Investigators said Wells drove his 2004 gray Chevrolet minivan taxi from the Econo Lodge on Colonel Corner Drive in Hopewell to Mechanicsville where he was found dead.

Police determined Wells, a driver for Marshall Cab, was hired by Dejesus and Simpson for a cab fare from Hopewell to the Mechanicsville area.

That’s when an altercation occurred, which incapacitated Wells. His cause of death was determined to be related to the fire set by Dejesus and Simpson.

James Wells, 26

James Wells, 26

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