ISLE OF WIGHT — Andarius McClelland was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Wednesday for killing 18-year-old Aonesty Selby in 2023.
McClelland previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and use or display of a firearm in committing a felony in 2025. He was also facing a first-degree murder charge, but per his plea agreement, that charge was nolle prossed — a pause on prosecuting the charge with the option to bring it back later.
The sentence hearing was previously delayed last fall after McClelland's defense team raised concerns about his mental capacity.
On Wednesday, McClelland was sentenced to 37 years for second-degree murder and three years for use of a firearm.
Watch previous coverage: Family of Aonesty Selby begs for answers after her death is ruled a homicide
Selby, of Williamsburg, was found dead on Jan. 13 just days after her 18th birthday in the area of Blue Ridge Trail, just outside of Windsor, the sheriff's office said. Selby's family reported her missing earlier in the day on Jan. 13. They stated that they had not heard from her since Jan. 11.
A hit from Selby's phone pinpointed where officials would find her body.
Investigators say they uncovered evidence linking McClelland to Selby, reaching the conclusion that the two had been dating on and off for two months. McClelland later told investigators that he shot Aonesty during an argument, panicked, and went back to Newport News, investigators added.
“I know getting justice won’t bring her back to me, but it’ll make me feel like I didn’t fail her," one of Selby's sisters, Destiny Bailey said in a previous interview with News 3. "I feel like we failed her because we aren’t able to get the right justice for her."
