In the early evening of January 27, 2025, the life of 23-year-old Toney Garrett, a Black / African American male from Richmond, Virginia, was tragically cut short. Just after 5 p.m., Richmond Police were dispatched to the Gilpin Court neighborhood following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival at St. James Street, officers discovered Garrett unresponsive, lying in a grassy area between two buildings.
He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation into the homicide was led by the Richmond Police Department's Major Crimes detectives, who appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. For a time, the circumstances surrounding Garrett's death remained a mystery, and no suspects were publicly identified. The case was an active and ongoing investigation as law enforcement worked to piece together the events of that fatal evening.
Less than a month after the shooting, a significant breakthrough was made in the case. On February 13, 2025, Richmond Police announced the arrests of two individuals in connection with Toney Garrett's murder. Trayrell Tolliver, 27, of Richmond, and Darius Burgess, 23, of Petersburg, were taken into custody. Both men were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, with authorities indicating that additional charges were pending. The investigation continues, and police have encouraged anyone with further information to come forward.
