A Virginia man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his former best friend in what authorities say was a deadly fallout over a love triangle.
On Friday, 24-year-old Dustin Dove was sentenced in Waynesboro Circuit Court for the May 2024 killing of 22-year-old Seth Wallace. Dove was convicted in April of first-degree murder, although he was initially charged with second-degree murder. His defense team acknowledged that Dove shot Wallace but claimed he intended only to injure him—not to kill.
Wallace died from his injuries nearly three weeks after the May 24 shooting. The case unraveled a dramatic story of a fractured friendship and romantic tensions.
Dove and Wallace reportedly met in 2022 at a bar in Harrisonburg and became close friends. But tensions surfaced in early 2024 when Dove was jailed on drug charges. While he was incarcerated, his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kaylee Turner, allegedly told him that Wallace had acted inappropriately toward her. In response, Dove and Turner reportedly cut Wallace out of their lives.
After Dove’s release, prosecutors said he violated his parole in May by testing positive for drugs. According to Dove’s attorney, Wallace began manipulating Turner during this time—claiming Dove had been unfaithful—which escalated already strained emotions.
Text messages between the two men grew increasingly hostile, with threats and insults, including Wallace allegedly mocking Dove’s mother’s cancer diagnosis. In court, a digital forensics expert read texts sent in the hours leading up to the shooting, including, “Dog, I’m going to destroy you” and “I’m going to get away with it.” Dove also reportedly recorded himself with the rifle used in the attack.
Around 4 a.m. on May 24, Dove and Turner drove to Wallace’s home on D Street in Waynesboro. Prosecutors said Dove hid nearby until Wallace appeared, then opened fire. Fifteen shell casings were found, and Wallace sustained multiple gunshot wounds, mainly to his lower torso and groin.
Police body camera footage showed Wallace still conscious after the shooting. When asked who shot him, he replied, “Dustin … Dustin.” He died days later from complications related to his injuries, including septic shock.
Dove was arrested the following day, after allegedly traveling to West Virginia with Turner to discuss the incident with her father. Later, while in jail, Dove reportedly recorded a rap song over the phone with lines referencing the killing, including, “He was my best friend, now he’s dead meat.”
Turner was also expected to appear in court Friday as part of a plea deal. She had initially faced charges of being an accessory to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
A GoFundMe created in Wallace’s memory described him as “too young to be taken” and someone who had just begun enjoying life as a young adult.