Bio

Dennis Mitchell Orbe was born on June 22, 1964. He was raised by his mother, Brigitt Branch, after his biological father abandoned the family. He experienced a troubled childhood and, according to reports, faced abuse from his mother's second husband.

He had difficulties in school and developed a drinking problem during his teenage years. He ended up dropping out of school. Orbe married and had two children, but his marriage eventually failed. This separation added to his distress.

Orbe lost his job and fell deeper into depression. He became increasingly isolated and turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism. Various reports suggest that he felt regret for his actions and had suicidal tendencies, particularly after losing contact with his children.

In January 1998, just prior to the crimes he would later commit, Orbe was living in Chester, Virginia. During this time, he began a crime spree that would lead to tragic events. He was involved in various criminal offenses in the Richmond and Chesterfield areas. 

Murder Story

At 3:38 a.m. on January 24, 1998, Dennis Mitchell Orbe entered an Exxon convenience store in York County, Virginia. He approached the counter where Richard Sterling Burnett, a 39-year-old clerk, was working alone. Orbe pointed a revolver at Burnett's chest and ordered him to open the cash register. Once the register was open, Orbe shot Burnett once in the chest. After shooting him, Orbe moved behind the counter, took money from the cash register, and fled the scene.

A surveillance camera in the store recorded the entire incident. The footage showed that there was no provocation for the shooting. However, Orbe later claimed that the gun went off accidentally. This defense was not accepted by the jury or the judge during the trial.

This murder was part of a larger crime spree that Orbe committed over ten days. Between January 21 and January 31, 1998, he was involved in multiple crimes, which included assaults and robberies in Richmond and Chesterfield, along with New Kent counties. Seven days after the murder, Orbe was arrested following a high-speed chase.

Orbe was tried and found guilty of capital murder and other charges related to his robbery spree. On August 16, 1998, a jury recommended the death penalty for the murder of Richard Burnett. He was formally sentenced in October 1998. After several years of legal appeals and challenges, Orbe was ultimately executed by lethal injection on March 31, 2004. He did not make a final statement before his execution.