BEDFORD, Va. – For the first time, WSLS 10 is hearing from various law enforcement agencies involved in solving the slaying of Lynchburg teenager Raymond Wood.
The 17-year-old allegedly was killed in March by three MS-13 gang members.
Among those honored Tuesday were investigators from Virginia State Police and Lynchburg Police Department. Sheriff Mike Brown says it important to recognize those who do a tremendous job helping them keep their community safe.
"It feels good. I'm not going to lie. It feels good," said Fatima Foster, traffic safety officer with Roanoke police.
Foster is just one of the officers recognized for her work with the Raymond Wood murder case last March. She was asked to translate the interviews of the MS-13 gang members accused of killing the Lynchburg teen from Spanish to English.
"It was very broken. Very slowly. And just being able to decipher what those words were. And in some cases you couldn't," Foster said.
Foster says being bilingual is another way to help others in her career and was just doing was she was asked.
"It wasn't until the very end of that realizes that this is very big," said Foster, who adds she was notified last week she would be given a certificate of recognition by the Bedford County Sheriff's Office.
Virginia State Police and Lynchburg police are still playing a big part in assisting the Bedford County Sheriff's Office in the case. Sheriff Mike Brown also recognized deputies with his department for their major contributions the night of the killing and in the investigation that followed.
One of those deputies is Sonny Daniels. He was the first officer to stop the suspect's vehicle.
"That point I thought it was just a regular hit and run and then 20 minutes later of interacting with this guy, I find out from guys on the other scene there is going to be probably related to the homicide," said Cpl. Sonny Daniels, Bedford County Sheriff's Office.
Daniels says he's glad he trusted his intuition to follow and stop the vehicle in question.
"To be able to say I help and provided the suspects. It's probably nine times out of 10 they would've never his suspects. I'm glad that the family can have comfort in that," Daniels said.
Brown says the investigation in the slaying is still under investigation.
Brown says he's never seen a group of law enforcement agencies come together more quickly during an investigation. Brown says they spent endless hours helping the Bedford County Sheriff's Office in various ways.
"It's your employees they make you look good that do the job. And I have some of the best around," Brown said.
Also, during the ceremony, 13 promotions and appointments were announced by Brown.