Emily Layne Missing Person Case

Apr 16, 2026

Apr 16, 2026

Emily

Layne

15

15

White / Caucasian

Female

In the summer of 2017, a sense of unease settled over the small community of Nathalie, Virginia, with the disappearance of a local woman. Emma Compton Layne, a 52-year-old female, was last seen on the evening of June 17, 2017, at the Cody Convenience Store, which she operated. When she failed to return home and her family could not reach her the following day, they grew deeply concerned and contacted the authorities. Their worries intensified when they discovered her personal belongings, including her cell phone, car keys, credit card, and even her dog, left behind at her residence. The initial days of her disappearance were filled with uncertainty as law enforcement and the community began a search for the beloved local business owner, who was described by those who knew her as a friendly, outgoing person with a good sense of humor. As the search for Emma continued, hope for her safe return began to fade. For five months, her family and friends waited anxiously for any news. The break in the case came in November 2017, when hunters discovered human remains in a wooded area. The remains were found in a "very shallow grave". Though it took several months for a positive identification, authorities and her family presumed the remains to be Emma's. Authorities later confirmed that she had been "violently murdered". The tragic discovery marked a devastating turn in the case, transforming it from a missing person investigation into a homicide case and leaving her loved ones to grapple with the painful reality of her death. For seven years, Emma's family relentlessly sought justice, never giving up hope that the person responsible for her death would be held accountable. Their long wait for a significant development in the case finally came to an end in November of 2024. Law enforcement announced the arrest of Emma's husband, Russell Wayne Layne, who was subsequently charged with her murder. The news of the arrest brought a profound sense of relief and a feeling of a long-awaited blessing to her sisters and other family members, who expressed their gratitude to the investigators who continued to work on the case over the years. The case of Emma Layne is a somber story of a woman's life cut short, the enduring pain of a family searching for answers, and the protracted journey toward justice that finally saw a major breakthrough with the arrest of her husband seven years after she was last seen.

Apr 13, 2026

HENRICO COUNTY

Virginia

07/04/2026