A 24-year-old man in Maryland will spend several decades in prison after admitting to gunning down the general manager of a popular Italian restaurant in Baltimore during a botched robbery last year. Circuit Judge Althea M. Handy on Monday ordered Samuel Wise Jr. to serve a sentence of life in prison with all but 50 years suspended for the 2022 slaying of Chesley Patterson, authorities announced.
The 50-year suspension effectively means that Wise will be serving a 50-year prison sentence, according to a news release from the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.
Samuel Wise Jr. (Baltimore Police Dept.) and Chesley Patterson (WBAL screenshot)
In addition to the life sentence, Judge Handy also handed down sentences of 20 years and five years, to be served concurrently, meaning at the same time. Should Wise ever be released from detention, he will be required to serve an additional three years on probation.
“The tragic death of Mr. Patterson was a shock to this tight-knit community and our City as a whole,” State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates said in a statement following Wise’s sentencing hearing. “As his family and loved ones approach the second anniversary of his murder, we continue to grieve with them and extend our victim services to them during this immensely difficult time. I thank my Homicide Unit for gathering detailed evidence that made this case impossible to refute by the defense and ultimately hold this offender accountable to a 50-year prison sentence.”
As previously reported by Law&Crime, officers with the Baltimore Police Department at approximately 12:06 a.m. on Jan. 23, 2022, responded to a 911 call about a shooting on Eastern Avenue in the city’s Southeast District. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders found a 44-year-old male — later identified as Patterson — who was lying in the street and appeared to be suffering from a single gunshot wound. Emergency Medical Services medics attempted lifesaving procedures and transported the victim to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, the victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
Homicide detectives investigating the murder said the shooting “stemmed from a robbery gone bad.”
While police did not release the name of the victim, La Scala mourned the loss of Patterson, referring to him as “a beloved friend and General Manager” in a Facebook post.
“Chesco as he was called by all of us was a warm, kind and familiar face to both staff and all who have dined with us over the last 17 years,” the restaurant said. “He was leader to all and an invaluable part of our family. As we try to navigate yet another horrendous and painful loss we respectfully ask for privacy and understanding.”
Surveillance footage of the shooting showed Patterson park his sedan on the street and go into a corner store. He comes out a short while later, places his purchased items in the trunk and starts to pull out of the parking spot. As he does so, a van slowly approaches from behind on the driver’s side of Patterson’s vehicle, causing him to stop.
The van stops about eight feet in front of Patterson’s car and the passenger side door appears to open slightly before closing. The van then goes into reverse and pulls up directly next to Patterson’s car, blocking Patterson from moving forward.
“Seconds later, a person emerged from the van’s front passenger side, ran up to Mr. Patterson’s car, pulled open his front door, struggled with Mr. Patterson for a few seconds, and then shot him one time with a small handgun,” prosecutors wrote in the release. “The perpetrator returned to the van, quickly fleeing the scene, driving eastbound along Eastern Avenue. The driver of the vehicle and another passenger stayed in the van during the attack. Just after the shooting, Mr. Patterson could be seen on video struggling from the car, clutching the left side of his chest, and then collapsing in the street.”
During the investigation, police said they recovered messages from Wise’s phone that implicated him in Patterson’s murder.
In a conversation from the same day Patterson was killed, Wise messaged someone that he was “out sticking s—,” which he then clarified meant “I’m robbing.”
Two days after the shooting, Wise was in a “text squabble” with the same person when he wrote, “im [sic] rey [sic] get booked for a f—ing murder and you keep trying be f—ing smart.”
The phone’s location data also placed Wise at the scene of the shooting and contained photos of Wise wearing the same clothing the shooter wore in the surveillance footage.
In a statement to Baltimore NBC affiliate WBAL, Patterson’s family praised the “bittersweet” moment they learned Wise had pleaded guilty but criticized the convicted killer for his impenitence.
“He took a life out of selfishness and greed. Yet, he has no remorse. He doesn’t feel for the many hearts that are hurting, or for my uncle who was the sweetest and loving man,” the statement read. “Fifty years is nothing compared to the beautiful life lost and the anxiety, trauma and hurt that was brought upon so many. I hope this murderer lays awake at night and his heart hurts just as bad as ours will forever. Our voices must be heard. We love you Chesley, and we will scream your name forever.”
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