Crime & Safety

All Convictions Against Wolfe are Vacated

Former Chantilly High School student, on death row nearly a decade could walk free.

, whose 2002 murder-for-hire was previously vacated, remains on death row as the state appeals a judge’s order in the case, but he learned yesterday that if the order holds up he might walk free.

A new order from U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson clarifies a previous order that vacated Wolfe’s conviction and sentence on the murder-for-hire. The new order states Wolfe’s “conviction is VACATED on all counts,” including a gun charge and marijuana distribution. For any of those charges, prosecutors must retry Wolfe or release him within 120 days.

It’s unlikely either would actually occur within that time because a stay could be ordered by the federal courts while the state appeals the decision. Nonetheless, the clarification came as welcome news to Wolfe’s mother, Terri Steinberg, who has since become an anti-death penalty activist.

Find out what's happening in Chantillywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“One step closer to the door!” was her message as she shared the news. She later explained that those were really his words when she first talked to him by phone. He has been on death row since 2002 and was held in the Prince William Adult Detention Center for about a year prior to that.

“It has been 10 long years wrongfully sitting in solitary confinement,” Wolfe said via his mother. “I have so many people to thank!! I am looking forward to rejoining my family and finally being free again."

Find out what's happening in Chantillywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Steinberg said the ordeal, came as the result of a “tainted trial,” but she was also sympathetic to another family continues to suffer – that of victim Daniel Robert Petrole Jr.

“What happened to Danny is tragic and my heart goes out to them,” Steinberg said.

Steinberg also understands that her son was admittedly involved in the marijuana drug trade. The same jury that convicted Wolfe of murder-for-hire also sentenced him to 30 years for marijuana distribution. Several dealers higher up the chain than Wolfe and Petrole received sentences of three years or less.

“Yes, he sold marijuana, but for a first offense, solitary confinement for 10-plus years is harsh,” Steinberg said.

Wolfe has consistently denied involvement in the murder of Daniel Robert Petrole Jr., which occurred March 15, 2001. Owen Merton Barber IV, the convicted triggerman, testified against Wolfe in 2002, but told a federal court in November 2010 that he had been forced to testify against Wolfe to escape a capital conviction. He said Wolfe was not involved in any way with the scheme that led to Petrole’s death.

In Jackson’s initial order on the case, he called the actions of Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul B. Ebert and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Richard A. Conway “not only unconstitutional in regard to due process, but abhorrent to the judicial process.”

Multiple examples of evidence that Jackson deemed exculpatory were withheld from Wolfe and his defense team were identified in the order and during an evidentiary hearing on the case last year. Several pieces of evidence indicated that Petrole’s drug supplier had recently been cut out of a deal, angering that supplier and costing him an estimated $50,000. However, Wolfe’s defense team hinted at additional alternate theories as well.

The Virginia Attorney General’s Office announced earlier this month that it would proceed with an appeal of Jackson’s order to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Chantilly