VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach man was sentenced on Wednesday for killing his wife in front of their three young children.
Brandon Wysong, 34, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars. He pleaded guilty in Feb. 2023 to second-degree murder and use of a firearm.
It happened in Nov. 2019.
Prosecutors said Wysong and his wife, Elena, got into an argument. She and her three children left the home to get away from his behavior. They returned home to pick up a cat and found Brandon had destroyed the inside of the home.
Brandon and Elena got into an argument, officials said, and Brandon head-butted his wife.
"The oldest child saw Wysong with his gun and then pull Elena into the laundry room. The child heard her mother screaming and then multiple gunshots," a release from the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said. "Wysong had fired three shots, with one striking Elena in the back of the head. The child went to the aid of her mother but could not get the door open because her mother’s body was on the floor against the door."
The child tried to wrap a towel around her mother's head to stop the bleeding and attempted CPR while calling 911.
By the time first responders arrived, Elena died at the scene.
Authorities found Brandon hiding in a nearby wooded area.
Detectives said he later admitted to shooting his wife and hiding the gun at a park.
"He took the detectives to the park to point out the location of the gun, which was recovered by police," the release said.
He was sentenced for charges of second-degree murder, use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted Felon (Non-Violent within 10 Years).
The Commonwealth Attorney's Office said Wysong had prior convictions including burglary, credit card fraud, credit card forgery and trespassing.
