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James City County man sentenced to 33 years for motel killing

A James City County man will serve 33 years in prison in the killing of a man at a motel in Lightfoot in 2020.

Michael Dean Slye, 62, listened as several of the victim’s family members gave statements during Monday’s sentencing hearing in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court. In March, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony in the August 2020 killing of 45-year-old Terrence Orlando Pressey.

Karen Doreen Pressey, the victim’s mother, described hearing how Slye left her son’s body outside “like trash.” Pressey was found dead in a grassy area next to the parking lot of Motel Zuma on Richmond Road, according to a news release. Slye lived and worked at the motel while Pressey was staying at a hotel across the street.

According to Williamsburg-James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nate Green, Slye and Pressey had a verbal altercation prior to the shooting which arose after Pressey, who liked to take walks as a way of dealing with his anxiety, came onto the motel property while intoxicated.

Police were called and officers took Pressey back to his own hotel, telling him not to go onto the motel property anymore. Some time after, Pressey went on another walk, once again crossing into the motel’s property, at which point Slye pursued him and the shooting occurred, Green said.

Describing her son as “handsome, funny, kind, compassionate and intelligent,” Karen Pressey said Slye perceived him as a “nuisance, like a barking dog or a mosquito.”

Several family members who gave victim impact statements during the hearing asked the court to prescribe the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Pressey, who attended Lafayette High School and Norfolk State, lived in Georgia with his girlfriend and her kids for a number of years before returning to the Williamsburg area in March 2020, his mother said.

“His life mattered to a lot of people,” Karen Pressey said.

During the hearing, Judge Charles Maxfield mentioned that there was a degree of “vigilantism” to the case.

“I realize you are all hurting,” the judge told the family members. He said that he wondered if in five years’ time and having had the chance to further heal the Pressey family would still desire for the maximum sentence to be handed down.

According to Green, Slye had no criminal history prior to taking it upon himself “to be judge, jury and executioner” for Pressey.

“It was not his place,” Green said, adding that Slye had not taken accountability for his actions and had tried to cover up the crime.

Slye’s attorney Joshua Goff described the case as “complex” and asked the court for leniency considering Slye’s age, health and lack of a criminal history.

Upon release, Slye will be required to serve three years of probation for both offenses.

Sian Wilkerson, 757-342-6616, sian.wilkerson@pilotonline.com