Man confesses to 1953 hit-and-run in VA

You are giving him credit for having a conscience. He should have cleared his conscience 53 years ago.

 

There are a FEW STATES (Michigan is one of them) that have NO Statute of Limitations (for any crime). VA might be one as well

 

It only "gnawed" on him when he was going into surgery and he was faced with his own mortality.

A person can only be punished to the extent of the LAWS at the time of the crime. Perhaps; he got the same sentence he would have gotten had he turned himself in back in 1953. I can guarantee that he wasn't punished more severely than he would have been in 1953.