STAFFORD, Va. -- Travis Ball, a Richmond man serving time for killing Virginia State Trooper Mike Walter, now faces gang charges in connection to an April 26 fight inside Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford.
"The investigation revealed an inmate walked across the dayroom and a verbal altercation started with two other inmates, Collins Turner, 22, and Travis Ball, 32," Stafford County Sheriff's Major Shawn Kimmitz wrote. "Turner proceeded to get up and began assaulting the victim inmate. When the victim inmate seemed to get the upper hand, Ball joined in assaulting the victim. The victim was punched, choked, and kneed during the assault."
From there, other inmates joined the fight.
"As the victim was being choked, another inmate tried to intervene," Kimmitz continued. "Jared Haney, 31, proceeded to assault the inmate that was trying to assist the original victim. Ball also joined Haney in the assault of the second inmate."
One of the inmates was treated for serious injuries.
Turner and Ball were charged with gang participation, malicious wounding by mob, strangulation, and three counts of conspiracy. Ball was also charged with malicious wounding by mob and conspiracy charge for the second fight. Haney has warrants for gang participation, malicious wounding by mob, and two counts of conspiracy, according to Kimmitz.
In October 2020, Ball was sentenced to 36 years in prison after he entered an Alford plea to one count of capital murder for killing Walter.
Shortly after the plea, then Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Herring announced Ball would no longer face the death penalty.
Under the previously agreed upon plea deal, the Commonwealth of Virginia sought the maximum of 60 years in prison.
The defense sought the lower end between 24 to 40 years.
“I was surprised by the sentence to be honest,” said Herring at the time of the sentencing. “He’s impulsive and when he snaps, other people suffer. So, I’m not nearly as disappointed by the sentence as the Walters are, but I am at least perplexed.”
Ball shot and killed Walter after Walter approached the car where Ball sat in Richmond’s Mosby Court the night of Friday, May 26, 2017, according to police.
Walter died the next morning.
