Jalen Garces was convicted by a Virginia jury for the murder of a man who blocked his car as he was in a hurry to get to work. The 30-year-old was found guilty of using a firearm to commit the murder in 2023.
He shot dead Ali Karim Muhammad when he was going to work, and was running late. The incident happened around 10 pm near Muhammad’s residence in Norfolk. When he was set to go to work, he saw his car was blocked, as revealed by the prosecutor.
He asked if the car can be moved and who the owner is. He was on his phone with his dad when Garces appeared out of his residence. He refused to move the car and took out his gun. Muhammad said, “Get that gun out of my face,” as revealed by his dad.
Monday marked the first day of the murder trial for 28-year-old Jalen Garces, who is accused of shooting and killing Ali Muhammad in Norfolk’s Ocean View neighborhood over two years ago.
Bilal Muhammad recalled in a testimony his son’s final words. https://t.co/aHjUSqzjG6 pic.twitter.com/wEyHhrTlHP
— WTKR News 3 (@WTKR3) August 12, 2025
He heard that on the call right before he heard the gunshot. The paramedics tried to revive him, but he was dead, and his autopsy revealed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the torso.
Meanwhile, Garces ran away in his Mustang to avoid getting caught. Using the street cameras, the Virginia Beach police caught him. At that time, he was also under the influence.
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The detectives spoke to the woman whom the accused was going to meet. She stated they never met, and he was frantic over the call, considering his crime. The jury found him guilty after a 3-day trial while offering condolences to the deceased parents for the tragic loss.
‘Get that gun out of my face’: Father hears son’s last moments while leaving his house for work https://t.co/W2b802rt2u
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) August 18, 2025
Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said, “Mr. Garces had no reason to kill Ali and to take him from his family. I was at the scene of this crime, as I am for every homicide in Norfolk, and I have no doubt that the information from the Flock camera system made the difference between an arrest and conviction and an unsolved murder.”
Bilal Muhammad, the deceased’s father, spoke in an interview that he and his wife are happy with the verdict.
“It’s a beautiful day. Our son Ali is smiling. My wife and I are so happy,” he said.
The accused will be sentenced on November 7.
