NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk judge has sentenced 48-year-old Sean Basil Stewart to 15 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 28-year-old Spencer Thomas Levinger inside Levinger’s workplace last year.
The confrontation happened on Dec. 8, 2023, at Metal Supermarkets Norfolk, a hardware store on Lance Road. It started with an argument between Stewart’s wife and Levinger. She called Stewart in the middle of the dispute, and despite later trying to talk him out of it, Stewart drove from the Peninsula to Norfolk, arriving at the store about 45 minutes later.
His wife continued to plead with him not to go inside, but Stewart ignored her. Once inside, he exchanged words with Levinger before punching him in the face, escalating the argument into a fistfight. During the struggle, Stewart pulled out a folding knife and stabbed Levinger twice—once in the heart and once in the neck.
Levinger, who had no weapon in his hands, did have a concealed firearm in his waistband. After being stabbed, he managed to pull out the gun, but Stewart wrestled it away. The gun misfired in the struggle, but no one was hit. Stewart then held the gun to Levinger’s head as he lay dying, threatened him, and then disarmed the weapon before tossing it aside.
Medics rushed Levinger to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police arrested Stewart at the scene.
Legal Proceedings
Stewart was originally charged with second-degree murder, but after a preliminary hearing, the charge was reduced to voluntary manslaughter before being upgraded to first-degree murder by a grand jury.
Initially, Stewart pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense and preparing for a jury trial. However, on Nov. 7, 2024, the day his trial was set to begin, Stewart accepted a plea deal. Under the agreement:
His voluntary manslaughter charge was changed to stabbing in the course of a felony.
His first-degree murder charge was reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
The plea did not include a sentencing agreement, meaning Stewart faced a maximum of 15 years in prison.
On Feb. 25, 2025, Judge Mary Jane Hall sentenced Stewart to the full 15 years with no time suspended. He will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
Commonwealth’s Attorney: “Stewart Went Looking for Trouble”
Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said the plea deal was necessary because there were unanswered questions that could have led to an acquittal based on self-defense.
“There was no question that Mr. Stewart went to the scene of his crime looking for trouble,” Fatehi said. “Because of Mr. Stewart’s moral culpability, we asked for the maximum sentence allowable by law — fifteen years to serve — and we appreciate that the judge agreed to impose that sentence. Hopefully, at least, it offers some closure to his family.”