NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Adrian Lewis, the Newport News man who was found guilty of killing his estranged wife Shanitia Eure-Lewis, was sentenced Friday to life in prison.
At his sentencing, the judge ruled that Lewis cannot have contact with his two children until they turn 18. Once that happens, there still cannot be any uninvited contact from Lewis to his children.
News 3 reporter Kelsey Jones spoke with Eure-Lewis' older sister and father after Lewis was sentenced. They say they're relieved this is all over and felt like justice was served with the life sentence. However, both of them say they will never have closure because her body has not been found.
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"There's no winners here today," said Eure-Lewis's father, Tony Eure. "No closure really, both sides really lost, but my family can go on with our lives."
At the sentencing, prosecutors showed surveillance video from the morning Eure-Lewis disappeared. One video showed Lewis stopping behind a business in his truck and the legs of someone wearing a white pantsuit in the passenger seat. Another video showed Lewis wiping off the door of his truck and the legs in the passenger seat not moving.
Lewis sat slouched over with his head down as Eure-Lewis's father, sister, two friends and the pastor and first lady of her church read victim impact statements on Friday.
Eure-Lewis's sister, Diedra Eure, said she still has hope her sister's body will be found.
"Not knowing where she is, not being able to giver her the proper burial, she didn't deserve that," Diedra Eure said. "She deserves to be laid to rest properly."
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Last September, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Eure-Lewis, who is presumed dead despite her body never being found since she was reported missing in July 2022.
It’s one of just a handful of other murder cases in state history in which someone has been charged without the victim’s body being recovered.
Prosecutors laid out a detailed argument – with over 100 pieces of evidence - during Lewis’ trial. Here’s what they claimed in court:
- On the day of Eure-Lewis’ disappearance, Lewis hired someone to clean blood from his truck. He pawned several pieces of her jewelry.
- When she disappeared, he was on his way to Jamaica and Googled: “Does Jamaica have extradition.” A Department of Homeland Security agent found him at Dulles airport at a gate for a flight headed to Jamaica.
- Friends and family testified that during their marriage, Lewis accused his wife of cheating. He told people, more than once, that if he ever caught her having an affair, he’d kill her.
- A couple weeks before she disappeared, Eure-Lewis told their mutual friend that she wanted a divorce. Days later, Lewis told their friend that she must be cheating, saying, “I can’t let her walk away from this.”
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The days before Eure-Lewis’ disappearance were also discussed in court. Prosecutors claimed Lewis called Eure-Lewis’ sister to say they got into a fight and Eure-Lewis jumped out of his truck – although police said cameras in the area did not corroborate this happening.
The sister said she was on her way to Eure-Lewis’ home when she spotted Lewis’ truck parked next to a dumpster and saw him throwing away a shovel with dirt and several documents, among other items.
The jury found Lewis guilty of first-degree murder, but not guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
On Saturday, an illumination service will be held in remembrance of Shanitia. It starts at 1 p.m. at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Newport News. More information about the service is in the flyer below.
