VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The 22-year-old Navy sailor accused of shooting and killing the mother of his child before turning the gun on himself on May 31 was arraigned in court on Thursday.
Quentell Lawrence, who was placed in a medically induced coma to treat a gunshot wound to his head, appeared in court via video from his hospital bed. News 3 Virginia Beach reporter John Hood attended the arraignment and said Lawrence’s eyes were seen moving — scarring was visible on the left side of his head. Deputies said he was making hand gestures to communicate; however, he was not verbally responsive.
A public defender was appointed to represent Lawrence. A bond hearing was scheduled for Friday at 8 a.m., and his preliminary hearing will be held on Aug. 27.
Lawrence faces charges for second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony in the death of 22-year-old Natasha Forbes, who was also a sailor. Forbes was shot and killed the day after their child died at an area hospital.
Lawrence previously appeared in front of the magistrate on June 3, also via video from his hospital bed where he was seen intubated and unresponsive.
News 3 previously reported that court documents claimed Lawrence had the "slimmest of chances" of ever waking up from his medically-induced coma.
Watch previous coverage: Sailor charged in Magnolia Chase Way murder is in a coma and may never wake
It's not clear what the direct relationship was between Forbes and Lawrence, but NCIS officials did confirm to News 3 that the young child, who died from unknown circumstances the day before the shooting, belonged to them.
A criminal complaint previously uncovered by News 3 Virginia Beach reporter John Hood outlined how Forbes called police on May 31 to report that Lawrence was choking her and had a gun.
When police arrived at the scene on Magnolia Chase Way, they heard gunshots; inside, they found Forbes dead, shot multiple times, and Lawrence with what was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Previous coverage: Sailor shoots, kills sailor, attempts suicide after death of their baby
The documents also state that Lawrence's unresponsive state makes police unable to "determine accurate information for majority of statutory factors considered when determining bail."
Lawrence was initially set to be arraigned in court on June 4; however, that did not happen.
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