PORTSMOUTH, Va. — All charges were dismissed against the second man accused in a quadruple shooting in Portsmouth that happened back in 2022.
Court records show eight charges, including aggravated murder, were dismissed against Antwann Gore on Tuesday. His trial was scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Gore and his relative Raymond Gore were charged following the June 2022 shooting that took the lives of Ashley Merricks, Oleisha Mears, Georgio Lee and Samuel Jones inside a home on Maple Avenue.
A jury found Raymond Gore not guilty of all charges in January after about an hour of deliberation.
Watch previous coverage: Portsmouth murder trial ends with not guilty verdict
During a hearing Tuesday, prosecutors asked Judge Brenda Spry to set the charges aside rather than dismiss them.
Judge Spry sided with the defense and dismissed the charges.
In a statement, the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said:
"The Commonwealth exercised its ethical obligation to motion the Court to enter an order of Nolle Prosequi, based on the lack of sufficient evidence and credible witnesses required to obtain a conviction in this case.
Our office has exhausted all currently known leads in search of additional witnesses and evidence but also believes additional evidence and witnesses could potentially exist that could come to light in the future.
It is our belief that an order to nolle prosequi would have best served the compelling interests of our community and the families of the victims should additional evidence arise in the future.
Our thoughts remain with the families of the victims."
