In the spring of 1979, the life of a young man named Michael Wayne McDuffie was violently cut short in his suburban home in Henrico County, Virginia, a community in the Richmond area. On March 21, McDuffie, a 20-year-old white male who worked as a vending machine serviceman, was the victim of a brutal home invasion. He was assaulted, shot, and robbed by a notorious group of siblings known as the Briley brothers.
The attack on McDuffie was part of a terrifying crime spree that gripped the
Richmond community with fear. The Briley brothers, identified as Linwood, James, and Anthony, along with an accomplice named Duncan Eric Meekins, were responsible for a series of murders, rapes, and robberies throughout 1979. Their reign of terror was marked by indiscriminate violence that left at least a dozen people dead. The murder of Michael McDuffie was one of the many heinous acts committed by the gang, who had broken into his home with the intent to rob him.
The widespread violence and the growing number of victims prompted a massive law enforcement response that eventually led to the capture of the Briley brothers and their associate. Following their arrests, the full scope of their crimes came to light, and they were brought to trial. The legal proceedings detailed their brutal methods and the suffering they had inflicted on their victims.
The trials concluded with the convictions of the Briley brothers for their numerous crimes. For their roles in the murder spree, Linwood and James Briley were sentenced to death. Linwood was executed by electric chair in 1984, followed by James in 1985. Anthony Briley received a life sentence for his involvement in the crimes and remains incarcerated. Their accomplice, Duncan Eric Meekins, who cooperated with the authorities, was also sentenced to life in prison.
