In the early morning hours of Thursday, January 23, 2025, the life of 44-year-old Victoria Rose Howell of Wytheville, Virginia, was tragically cut short. Police and sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a shooting at a residence on West Ridge Road at approximately 1:00 a.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Howell deceased inside the home from a fatal gunshot wound.
Living at the same residence was Chad Nelson Hawks, who was identified as Howell's boyfriend. Hawks was taken into custody by the Wythe County Sheriff's Office at the scene. Investigators have since charged him with several serious felonies in connection with Howell's death.
The charges brought against Hawks include Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Reckless Handling of a Firearm, and Discharging a Firearm inside an Occupied Dwelling. Following his arrest, he was incarcerated at the New River Regional Jail. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with assistance from the Wytheville Police Department and the Virginia State Police.
