‘There’s just no justice for Lilly’: Plea deal struck for Lilly Patman’s death in tragic hunting accident

AMELIA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A plea deal was struck on Wednesday for the death of 18-year-old Lilly Patman after she died in a tragic hunting accident.
A portrait from her high school graduation sat atop an easel in front of the Commonwealth Attorney's desk during the proceeding.
Sixty-nine-year-old Thomas Farleigh pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Amelia County Circuit Court on Wednesday, August 20, scrapping the three-day jury trial that was supposed to begin.
Farleigh will serve no jail time, although he will have other restrictions. He'll spend a year on probation, lose all hunting privileges for five years and has to be on good behavior for ten years. He also was facing one count of felony reckless handling of a firearm, which was dropped in the deal.
(Photos of Lilly Patman, the 18-year-old Amelia County woman killed in a hunting incident, provided by her family.)
The Commonwealth's Attorney (CA) said "a jury can do crazy things," and didn't want to risk a not guilty verdict, even though Farleigh accepted an Alford plea -- meaning he understood if a jury heard the case, there would be enough evidence to convict him, but did not accept guilt.
"That just irks me even more," Clint Patman, Lilly's father, told 8News.
Lilly’s family and friends shared victim impact statements, making it clear they did not want this deal.
“There's just no justice for Lilly..." Clint said. "I feel like a poor father, that’s what I feel like.”
Lilly’s parents said they knew there was a possibility of no jail time, but felt having a jury hear the evidence still would’ve provided some justice for Lilly.
(Photo of Lilly Patman, the 18-year-old Amelia County woman killed in a Dec. 2023 hunting incident, provided by her family.)
"She’s not here to fight for her feelings and I’m the one that’s supposed to fight for them and to make sure that justice is served and it’s not being served," Grace Patman, Lilly's mom, said.
Lilly, who would've turned 20 in July, died on December 29, 2023, during a hunting event on Farleigh's property. He was a next-door neighbor and family friend for decades.
Lilly was found by her father, Clint Patman, and her younger brother, Clinton II. She was found with a single gunshot wound.
The family of six were on Farleigh’s property early that morning to participate in his annual deer drive -- a hunting technique that makes deer move out of their hiding spots.
The CA said it had been discussed amongst the entire group where everyone would be staged, and that Clint discussed hunting safety with the family that day.
The CA said Farleigh was at the bottom of a hill around cedar trees and that Lilly and her mom, Grace, were near his barn. At around 10:30 a.m. that morning, Grace headed back to their house to prepare lunch for everyone.
They said Farleigh was shooting at a deer, but one of the 12 pellets in the buck shot hit and killed Lilly. She was wearing the proper blaze orange gear and was still sitting near his barn.
The CA said that while it's "apparent" the shooting was accidental, it was still his duty as a hunter to ensure the shot was safe.
Over two months after Lilly died, Farleigh turned himself in.
Character witnesses were lined up to vouch for Farleigh, but he ultimately did not want to "take the chance of being convicted," his defense attorney said.
Farleigh declined the chance to speak in court.
“I don’t know how you kill somebody and there’s no consequences," Clint said. "Even if you’re taking a plea deal, I don’t know how there’s no consequences.”
(Photos of Lilly Patman, the 18-year-old Amelia County woman killed in a hunting incident, provided by her family.)
Over a dozen of Lilly's family and friends showed up for the court hearing, some sporting pink outfits.
“Lilly’s favorite color," Clint said. "Lilly loved pink.”
Eight of them shared victim impact statements, including both of Lilly's parents, her older sisters Camellia Patman and Violet Patman Billeter, her brother-in-law Eric Billeter, her aunts Lenora Davidson and Jennifer Sommer and long-time friend Cameron Cullop.
Clint described thinking their home on the property would be their "forever home," and planned for the entire family to be buried there. Lilly was cremated so she can stay with the family when they move later this year.
Camellia said she didn't want the plea deal because without any jail time, Farleigh's life will not change and he'll be able to still live his life on his farm. She described sharing a driveway with him and running into him frequently as "stunting the healing process."
Lilly's sister Violet, 22 weeks pregnant, said "[she] should be here to hold her niece."
As a family that prides themselves on hunting safety, the Patmans are still trying to figure out their lives without their beautiful girl.
“We’re gonna have to find a way to help share and tell Lilly's story because if people aren’t comfortable hunting they need to know [how to] walk away, know who you’re hunting with, make sure they’re under control," Grace said.
The family had been preparing for the trial, and only found out the plea deal was reached the day before it was supposed to start.
“They made and accepted a plea and didn’t give us the opportunity to fight it out in court," Grace said. "They didn’t give Lilly her few minutes for a jury decide what should happen to this man.”
Lilly had recently graduated from Ignite Christian Academy and had just finished her first semester at Brightpoint Community College. She wanted to be a social worker.
“We raised our kids that you have consequences for your actions. And what I just felt today, there’s no consequences for your actions," Grace said. "So, I’m like, ‘have I raised my kids wrong?’”
Farleigh did not leave out of the front of the courthouse so we did not have a chance to speak to him.