HENRY COUNTY, Va. – Update:
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office has provided an update in the double homicide that occurred in Ridgeway on Tuesday.
According to officials, at 12:58 p.m., the office received a report of a male subject who had been shot and was lying in the road in front of a residence in the 200 block of Meeks Road in Ridgeway. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a deceased man who had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He has been identified as 68-year-old William Leroy Morey, it was discovered that William Morey had traveled to Meeks Road to check on the well-being of Mandy Coleman.
Due to the circumstances, deputies made entry into the residence on Meeks Road. Inside the home, deputies located a second deceased individual, a woman with an apparent single gunshot wound. She has been identified as 22-year-old Mandy Michelle Coleman.
During the early stages of the investigation, Joshua Corbett Coleman, the husband of Mandy Coleman, was identified as the suspect in connection with the murders. Deputies also became concerned for the welfare of two small children who were believed to reside in the home with their mother, Mandy Coleman.
Officials said that a coordinated effort was launched to locate the children and the suspect, involving multiple agencies. At approximately 2:38 p.m., a deputy with the HCSO conducted a traffic stop on the suspect’s vehicle.
Joshua Coleman was found to be armed with a handgun and an AR-15 rifle. He was taken into custody without incident, and his children were found safe inside the vehicle and unharmed.
Coleman has been charged with the following:
Two counts of First Degree Murder – Virginia Code § 18.2-32
• Two counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony – Virginia Code § 18.2-53.1
• One count of Shooting from an Occupied Vehicle – Virginia Code § 18.2-286.1
• Two counts of Child Abuse and Neglect – Virginia Code § 18.2-371.1(B)
This investigation is ongoing, anyone having information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2500.00 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid
“This is a heartbreaking and tragic situation that has deeply affected two families and our entire community. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the victims during this incredibly difficult time. I want to commend our deputies and our partner agencies for their swift and coordinated response, which led to the safe recovery of the children and the apprehension of the suspect. We are committed to seeking justice for the victims and protecting the innocent.”
Sheriff Wayne Davis, Henry County Sheriff’s Office
Original:
A suspect is in custody, and a man and a woman are dead after a shooting in Henry County Tuesday, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
In an interview with BTW21, Sheriff Wayne Davis said that deputies received a report of a man who had been shot and was lying in the roadway outside of a residence on Meeks Road in Ridgeway around 1 p.m.
Officers discovered the deceased individual with an apparent gunshot wound. Deputies also found a woman deceased in the house from an apparent gunshot wound.
Over the course of the investigation, it was determined by the HCSO that the incident was domestic in nature and the suspect was identified as 30-year-old Joshua Coleman.
Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis told 10 News that the woman who was killed was related to Coleman.
“They were married, and she was the mother of the children,” Sheriff Davis said.
Deputies also said that Coleman had also abducted two children, an 11-month-old and a 2-year-old, after the shooting.
After Coleman was pulled over during a traffic stop, law enforcement found that Coleman was driving the car with weapons.
“We found him to be driving the vehicle, he was armed at the time with a handgun and an AR-15 style rifle,” Sheriff Davis said.
Sheriff Davis told BTW21 that the suspect has been apprehended and is in custody; both children are also safe and there is no danger to the community.
“We are pleased with the outcome,” Sheriff Davis said. “Even though this is a tragic event, the two families are pleased that we were able to locate these children safely.”