UPDATE: Roanoke Police have identified and charged Jaytwon T. Shepherd, 20 of Roanoke, with the murder of Arnez Kirtley on February 12. This case was seen before the May meeting of the Roanoke City Grand Jury where indictments of 1st Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in Commission of Murder were issued. Those indictments were served on Tuesday without incident and Shepherd remains in custody in the Botetourt County Jail.
Throughout the course of the investigation, Detectives determined that two suspects were involved in this homicide. (Bryson W. Berger, 21 of Roanoke, was identified as a suspect. Warrants for second degree murder were obtained shortly after Mr. Berger was identified in February). Detectives and Officers worked to gather evidence, which indicated that Mr. Shepherd was the other suspect. We began working with the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate Mr. Shepherd. Roanoke Police were notified by personnel from the High Point Police Department in North Carolina that they had taken Mr. Shepherd into custody. Shepherd was brought back to our jurisdiction without incident
(previously) On February 12, 2022 at approximately 11:15 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 1200 block of Jefferson Street SW. Responding officers located an adult male inside a residence in the area with what appeared to be a critical injury. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The name of the victim will be released after next-of-kin is properly notified.
Details about what led to this shooting are limited at this time. Throughout the course of the investigation, Bryson W. Berger, 21 of Roanoke, was identified as a suspect. Warrants for second degree murder were obtained shortly after Mr. Berger was identified. The warrants were served and Mr. Berger was taken into custody earlier this morning without incident.
