Charles City woman pleads guilty to first degree murder, receives 30-year prison sentence

*Editor’s note: Some content in this story may be unsuitable for some readers.

What started off as a status hearing to determine the competency of a defendant in a Charles City murder case evolved into a plea agreement being accepted Friday morning during Charles City Circuit Court proceedings.

Amber Lynn Brime, 33, of the 11000 block of Eagles Nest Road, Charles City, entered an Alford Plea of Guilt to one count of first-degree murder (elevated from second degree murder). Two charges of breaking and entering were dropped as part of the plea deal. An Alford Plea of Guilt means that while the defendant maintains her innocence, evidence in the case presented would convict the defendant of the crime.

Originally, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Kevin McWilliams was asked to appear in court to explain a competency evaluation where he deemed Brime incompetent due to physical ailments. McWilliams explained that Brime had physical issues that affected her psyche and concentration. However, he did mention that it is a process that fluctuates and can disappear and reappear at any moment.

Defense attorney Michael Hyman commented that his conversations with Brime that morning appeared better than what he had experience in the past, including the ability to explain a plea agreement that was offered by Charles City Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler. Tyler made a request to the court to allow McWilliams to conduct an examination of Brime at that time, something that he deemed rare as it was an opportune time to get the case resolved as the defendant had told Hyman that she would accept the agreement.

Judge B. Elliott Bondurant inquired of McWilliams if he was able to do the evaluation. McWilliams said he could, and the case was recessed for approximately 20 minutes. After the evaluation, McWilliams determined that Brime was competent to accept the plea agreement, prompting Tyler to move forward with the case.

In a summary of evidence, Amber Brime had issues with her father-in-law, David Brime, and mother-in-law, Betty Brime, as they had legal guardianship over Amber Brimes’s children and would not allow her to see her children. On Oct. 15, 2020, David Brime had left to complete an errand, something the defendant had previously known. Prior to returning to his home, David Brime had stopped by the defendant’s home to deliver her some breakfast that was previously asked for. After leaving the food, he pulled into his driveway, roughly 100 yards from Amber’s home, and saw the defendant running from is screaming, “Someone killed Betty.”

When authorities arrived on the scene, they discovered Betty Brime laying naked on the floor with stab wounds located on her. Also a dent was also discovered nearby as well.

When Amber Brime was questioned about the incident, she said she entered the home and saw a black man on top of Betty Brime. Amber indicated she tried to fight off the Black man but then ran to call for help. When asked about a bloody fingerprint on a bottle of glass cleaner, Amber Brime said she tried to clean up the scene because she believed it to be contaminated. However, Amber Brime changed that story later, saying it was a white man who attacked Betty Brime.

Detectives began an investigation, discovering that doors in Betty Brime’s home had been tied shut with dog leashes to prevent anybody from coming in. Detectives began conducting a search of Amber’s home, discovering a black glove and ski mask. DNA on the inside of the glove belonged to Amber Brime, while DNA from blood on the outside of the glove belonged to Betty Brime. Also recovered from Amber’s house were two knives that were determined as possible weapons in the murder. With that evidence, Amber Brime was taken into custody and held without bond prior to the trial.

Under the plea agreement, Brime received a life sentence with all but 30 years suspended (30 years of active incarceration in prison).

In another circuit court matter, a Providence Forge man will spend 12 months in jail after accepting a plea deal to an amended charge of misdemeanor hit and run (originally felony hit and run).

Everett Daniel Woodley Sr., 60, of the 8600 block of Courthouse Road, entered a guilty plea to the aforementioned offense. In a summary of evidence, on Jan. 29, a Virginia State Trooper responded to a crash on Church Lane where a black truck belonging to Khalil Bassett was struck. Bassett was able to describe the vehicle, which was a white Chevrolet Silverado, that hit his vehicle and fled the scene. An investigation was able to track Woodley down, who admitted that he committed the offense.

Woodley received a 12-month sentence and will serve all of the time imposed.