On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, the life of 22-year-old Mandy Michelle Coleman of Ridgeway, Virginia, was tragically cut short. Just one day after her birthday, she was found deceased in her home on Meeks Road with a single gunshot wound. The events of that day unfolded into a double homicide that shook the quiet community.
Authorities were first called to the scene for a report of a man lying in the road. That man was identified as 68-year-old William Morey, who had been shot multiple times. It was determined that Morey, a friend, had gone to the residence to check on Mandy's well-being. Upon entering the home to investigate the circumstances of Morey's death, deputies discovered Mandy's body.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Mandy's husband, Joshua Corbett Coleman, as the primary suspect. An urgent search was initiated, not only for Joshua but also for the couple's two young children, who were believed to have been with him. A breakthrough came a little over two hours later when a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Joshua Coleman's vehicle. He was taken into custody without incident, and the two children were found in the car, physically unharmed. Inside the vehicle, authorities recovered a handgun and an AR-15 rifle.
According to a criminal complaint, Joshua Coleman confessed to the killings. He reportedly told investigators that he and his wife had been arguing, and he had accused her of cheating on him. The argument escalated, leading him to retrieve a gun and shoot her in the head. After leaving the home with his children, he encountered William Morey. Believing he was already going to jail for his wife's murder, he then shot and killed Morey.
Joshua Coleman has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting from an occupied vehicle, and child abuse and neglect. He is being held without bond at the Henry County Adult Detention Center. The case is expected to proceed with a preliminary hearing. In the wake of this tragedy, Mandy's mother has started a nonprofit called Forever22MW to raise awareness about domestic violence.
