Crime and Public Safety
Roanoke Police were notified of a person with a gunshot wound in the 2400 block of Delta Drive NW. Responding officers located three victims at an apartment, each of which were suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of the victim’s sustained non-life-threatening injuries and the third sustained more serious injuries from the altercation. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported all three individuals to Carillon Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Investigators are in the preliminary stages of the investigation and details about what led up to the shooting are limited at this time. At this time we believe all three individuals were known to each and we are not currently looking for any other persons of interest at this time.
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office obtained 3 charges of felony Child Endangerment and 1 charge of Driving while Under the Influence for Bedford County Public Schools Bus Driver, 39-year-old Kimberly Ricketts of Campbell County. On October 7th the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a concerned parent regarding her child’s bus driver acting suspicious during the morning elementary school route.
Allegations made about her actions and behavior led the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Social Services, and Bedford County Public Schools Officials to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding this complaint. At the completion of this investigation, Ricketts was arrested on these four charges. Ms. Ricketts is being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail on a $3,000 secured Bond.
Subject has now been locatedMoneta, Virginia (October 14th, 2021)–The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing adult. Matthew Carl Maffei of Jacksonville, Florida(white male/36years of age)was last seen walking on October 13th, 2021 from Sailors Cove Drive, in the Bernard’s Landing area. Direction of travel is unknown. He is approximately 5ft 9in, 220 pounds, wearing a black long sleeve shirt with Florida logo, green undershirt, black shorts and gray running shoes. He has tattoos on his left arm of an eagle, baseball bat and American flag. If you have seen orknow the whereabouts of Matthew Maffei or someone matching this description, please contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 540-483-3000.
(News Release) ROANOKE, Va. – In a ceremony [last] Thursday evening, Christopher Robert Kavanaugh was sworn in as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. The Honorable Lisa O. Monaco, Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice, administered the oath office at a private ceremony at the Department of Justice in Washington D.C.
President Biden nominated Kavanaugh to be the United States Attorney on August 10, 2021. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on October 5. It is the honor of my life to serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. I know that the federal prosecutors here tirelessly serve the citizens of the Western District of Virginia in their pursuit of justice, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead such a talented and dedicated team of public servants,” U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “I look forward to working closely with our law enforcement partners, defense counsel, and the court in serving the District.”
U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh, 41, of Charlottesville, is a career federal prosecutor, having served as an Assistant United States Attorney for both the United States Attorney’s Office in Charlottesville as well as the District of Columbia. During his career, Mr. Kavanaugh directed numerous multi-agency investigations and prosecutions, including the hate crimes prosecution of James Fields for the August 12, 2017 car attack in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Kavanaugh also served as the District’s chief national security prosecutor, and spent time supervising and training fellow prosecutors while serving as the Counsel to the U.S. Attorney and Senior Litigation Counsel. Most recently, Mr. Kavanaugh was Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
(Update from Town of Vinton PD 10/13) Vinton, VA–The malicious wounding that took place on October 11, 2021, at 809 Hardy Rd is now being investigated as a Homicide, as the victim of this incident, Gary McMiller, 38, of Vinton has succumbed to his injury. Detectives with the Vinton Police Department have been in contact with the Roanoke County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office with the details of this case. No arrests have been made at this time. No further information regarding the details of this incident is available at this time.
Information regarding the incident is asked to call the Vinton Police Department at (540) 283-7034. Vinton, VA-On October 11, 2021, at 9:39 PM officers of the Vinton Police Department responded to a Malicious Wounding at 809 Hardy Road, in regards to reports of a person with a gunshot wound. Responding officers located an adult male inside the establishment with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. A preliminary investigation indicates that a shooting took place in the parking lot of the aforementioned address. The suspected vehicle, a silver sedan, fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival.
No suspects have been located at this time. The male was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division are still actively working to determine the circumstances that led up to the shooting. This matter remains under investigation and no further information is currently available for release. Information regarding the incident is asked to call the Vinton Police Department at (540) 283-7034.
Previously from Vinton Police Department: Vinton, VA -On October 11, 2021, at 9:39 PM officers of the Vinton Police Department responded to a Malicious Wounding at 809 Hardy Road, in regards to reports of a person with a gunshot wound. Responding officers located an adult male inside the establishment with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. A preliminary investigation indicates that a shooting took place in the parking lot of the aforementioned address. The suspected vehicle, a silver sedan, fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival. No suspects have been located at this time. The male was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division are still actively working to determine the circumstances that led up to the shooting. This matter remains under investigation and no further information is currently available for release. Information regarding the incident is asked to call the Vinton Police Department at (540)283-7034.
(from Roanoke PD) On October 10 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified of a person with a gunshot wound in the 4100 block of Melrose Avenue NW. Responding officers located a vehicle in the roadway near the intersection of Comer Street and Melrose Avenue NW. An unresponsive adult male with what appeared to be a serious gunshot wound was located in the vehicle. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Details about what led up to the shooting are limited at this time. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made. This is an ongoing investigation.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Virginia State Police Trooper M.J. O’Dell is investigating a single vehicle crash, which resulted in a fatality. The crash occurred Friday (Oct 8) at 7:22 a.m. on Morewood Road., near Chestnut Creek Drive in Franklin County. A Toyota Camry was traveling west on Morewood Road, at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control, ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Melissa Faye Leonard, 25, of Moneta, Va. Ms. Leonard was wearing her seatbelt and died at the scene. The male passenger was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.
Update: The truck has been removed and all lanes are open again. Thank you for your patience.(from Roanoke PD) On October 7, 2021 at approximately 12:15 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified of a person with a gunshot wound in the 1000 block of Morehead Avenue SE. Responding officers located an adult male with what appeared to be a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Detectives are still working to determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made at this time. This is an ongoing investigation.