Travis White and Erika Mitchell face second-degree murder charges after allegedly beating 77-year-old Bert Atienza to death inside a Norfolk, Virginia, Walmart on June 7, 2026. The attack erupted following a dispute between Atienza and the suspects’ 17-year-old daughter over a shopping cart incident.
A routine Sunday grocery shopping trip turned fatal for a Virginia couple after an argument over a nearly missed shopping cart escalated into physical violence. Bert Atienza, a 77-year-old shopper, died on June 8, 2026, from blunt head trauma sustained inside a Norfolk Walmart store, according to medical officials who ruled his death a homicide.
The confrontation began shortly after Atienza and his wife of 42 years, Josephine, arrived at the supermarket following a morning at church. According to Josephine’s accounts, a 17-year-old employee rushed down an aisle and nearly struck her with a shopping cart without offering an apology.
The Escalation Inside the Norfolk Store
Bert Atienza confronted the teenage worker about the near-collision. He said, ‘You almost hit my wife with your heavy cart, and you did not even say excuse me or apologize to her,’
Josephine recalled.
Words were exchanged between the two before the employee reportedly tossed a can toward the couple as they walked away. The teenager then allegedly contacted her parents. Minutes later, the employee’s parents—identified as 44-year-old Travis White and 42-year-old Erika Mitchell—arrived at the location and hunted down the elderly couple.
Store surveillance footage shows Atienza browsing an aisle before White and Mitchell approach him while their daughter watches. The footage captures Atienza being shoved from behind, grabbed, and punched by the adults before being pushed into a shelving unit. He collapsed to the floor, where one of the suspects kicked him.
They crowded my husband, one of the adults hit him in the face. He fell down on the floor. I was terrified. I don’t know what’s going on.
Josephine Atienza, Widow
Josephine pleaded with the attackers to stop, explaining that her husband suffered from heart problems, but the assault continued. Before losing consciousness, Atienza spoke briefly to his wife. My husband was still able to speak, he said, ‘Help me, get up,’ but I told him, ‘No, you’re bleeding. Your mouth is bleeding. Ambulance is coming,’
Josephine said. I look at him again. He has no more consciousness.
Atienza was taken to a hospital, where he died the following day.
Charges Filed and Legal Defense Arguments
Law enforcement authorities arrested Travis White and Erika Mitchell days after the attack. Court records indicate that both suspects now face second-degree murder charges and are being held in the Norfolk jail without bond.
The teenage employee was also arrested and charged with assault and battery, aggravated malicious wounding, and conspiracy to commit a felony. Authorities are holding her at the Norfolk juvenile detention center. Walmart representatives confirmed that the minor no longer works for the company and that officials continue to cooperate with law enforcement.
Attorney James Broccoletti, who represents White, contested the severity of the charges in statements to news outlets, arguing that the incident was spontaneous rather than premeditated.
They did not go there, intending for any of this to happen. It was an emotional situation. Their daughter called them. She was distraught. They went, as any parent would do, to try to make sure that their daughter was safe and then the situation kind of erupted. It was spontaneous almost.
James Broccoletti, Defense Attorney
Broccoletti added that the defense believes the evidence supports no more than a misdemeanor assault charge, maintaining that nothing indicates the suspects intended or expected the confrontation to result in a fatality.
Shattered Retirement Dreams and Family Grief
The loss has devastated the Atienza family, who had built a life together over more than four decades. Josephine and Bert met in the Philippines decades ago, where she worked as a bank teller and he was an accountant. They shared long-term plans to return to their home country for their retirement years.
She described her late husband as a man who lived straightforwardly and refused to stay quiet when he saw something wrong.