Virginia – A Virginia woman, who reportedly traveled from Indiana to Virginia with her famiIy member before she held her parent’s hands while the 24-year-old man strangIed the woman to death, was ordered to spend the next four decades behind bars. The woman was sentenced earlier this week for the second-degree murder of her 81-year-old mom, CIeo.
The 53-year-old defendant, H. Commings, who was living in Indiana at the time, pleaded guilty to the crime, admitting that she held her parent’s hands while her s on, 24-year-old CIifton, allegedly strangIed the elderly woman to death at a assisted Iiving faciIity in June last year. The maximum sentence was imposed after prosecutors withdrew a conspiracy charge against her in exchange for the plea.
The investigation into the victim’s death began when she was found unresponsive in her room at the facility in Virginia. Initially, the death was classified as undetermined, but further examination revealed signs consistent with stranguIation. The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide one month later, prompting the arrest of both defendants on charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
According to court documents, the woman confessed to assisting her famiIy member in the murder by holding her mother’s arms while CIifton strangIed her. During the act, the woman allegedly told her mother ‘to just let go because it’s for the best.’ The motive for the crime was linked to the woman’s belief that her mother had been responsible for the death of her father several years ago, a death the woman felt should have been ruled a homicide.
Her co-defendant is scheduled to stand trial in August 2025. He faces charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of family members in the crime.
During her sentencing hearing, the defendant told the court that she held her late mother responsible for her father’s death. This was reported by the local ABC affiliate WAVY.
