Two Hampton brothers are awaiting trial in the ambush-style shooting of a 26-year-old man who was gunned down on a front porch near an elementary school, authorities said. Re’Al Butler, 24, and J.C. Butler, 25, were charged months after the June 1, 2024 slaying of Martez Johnson Corey and later indicted; a trial is scheduled for March 24.
The case drew renewed attention this week as court dates approached and the victim’s father pressed for answers. Police say Corey was shot multiple times around 7:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Old Buckroe Road, a residential stretch not far from Robert R. Moton Elementary School. The Butlers face counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and firing a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school. J.C. Butler also faces a felon-in-possession charge, officials said. Both men have pleaded not guilty in preliminary filings, and investigators have not publicly alleged a motive.
Responding officers and fire crews found Corey with life-threatening wounds on a porch where bullet holes still pockmark the facade, according to family and police summaries. Medics attempted lifesaving measures, but Corey died at the scene. In an interview this week, Corey’s father, William Corey, said his son was sitting outside a friend’s home when the shooters approached. “As he tried to get up, they just shot him and left him there to die,” he said. He added there was no known relationship between his son and the accused men. The family later held a closed-casket funeral.
Investigators said the killing happened within sight of a neighborhood school and during a time of day when families are often outside. The initial investigation yielded few public details, and police made no immediate arrests through the summer and fall of 2024. In March 2025, detectives, working with U.S. Marshals, arrested the Butler brothers. Court records show a grand jury returned indictments in November 2025, moving the case toward trial in Hampton Circuit Court. Both defendants were transferred to Western Tidewater Regional Jail, where they are being held.
Authorities have not described the specific evidence that led to the arrests. Officials declined to say whether ballistics, surveillance cameras or witness statements tied the brothers to the scene. Charging documents list the location and the time of the shooting but keep investigative leads under seal, a common step before jury selection. Police did not say how many rounds were fired or what caliber was used. The family has said they were told Corey suffered eight to 10 gunshot wounds, but that figure has not been confirmed in public records. The department has not released a recovered weapon inventory.
Hampton has struggled with an uptick in homicides, according to recent local reporting, sharpening focus on cases with school-adjacent shootings. The Old Buckroe Road block is a mix of older single-family homes and small multifamily units. Neighbors told reporters they heard a rapid volley followed by sirens. The proximity to Robert R. Moton Elementary prompted questions at community meetings about evening patrols and camera coverage along feeder streets. City officials have said they are balancing targeted enforcement with broader anti-violence outreach as courts work through backlogs.
The charges carry substantial penalties. First-degree murder in Virginia can bring a sentence of 20 years to life. The firearm use count would add a mandatory term if a jury convicts. Prosecutors also filed counts for shooting into an occupied dwelling and firing within 1,000 feet of a school, alleging heightened risk to nearby residents and children. Pretrial filings indicate defense attorneys may challenge portions of the evidence under seal and ask to exclude certain statements or photographs. Judges typically set evidentiary hearings on those questions in the weeks before a jury is seated.
The upcoming schedule includes final pretrial motions, juror summonses and proposed witness lists. Prosecutors are expected to outline the state’s theory of the ambush in opening statements, while defense counsel will likely emphasize gaps in publicly disclosed evidence and argue misidentification. If convicted on all counts, each defendant could face decades in prison. If jurors acquit on the top charge, they could consider lesser offenses depending on instructions from the bench. Either side could appeal legal rulings that shape what jurors hear.
At the house where Corey was shot, chipped wood and patched siding mark the porch where the attack occurred. A small memorial of artificial flowers sits near the steps. Neighbors said traffic slows at the block as people glance at the home and the corner where patrol cars idled that night. “We just want to know why,” William Corey said, standing near a framed photo of his son. “Nobody has told us why.” Friends described Corey as soft-spoken and often outside with relatives on warm evenings. They said they hoped the trial would deliver clarity if not comfort.
As of Saturday, both defendants remain in custody at Western Tidewater Regional Jail. Jury selection is slated to begin March 24 unless the court adjusts the calendar. Officials said additional information will be filed in court rather than released at news conferences ahead of the proceedings.
Author note: Last updated January 31, 2026.