On January 11, 2024, 40-year-old Shurvonn Laketa "Chizzy" Byrd was found deceased in a friend's home in West Portsmouth, Ohio. Her mother discovered her body covered in blood and immediately contacted emergency services. Upon arrival, deputies detained 73-year-old Danny Vanhoose, a longtime family friend of over 30 years, who was present at the scene. Following witness interviews, Vanhoose was arrested without incident.
The Scioto County Sheriff's Office collaborated with the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation to process the crime scene. Byrd's body was sent to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy. Vanhoose was charged with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and held without bond. He appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court on January 12, 2024.
Subsequently, the Scioto County Grand Jury indicted Vanhoose on two counts of aggravated murder in connection with Byrd's death. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities indicating that additional charges may be filed. They have urged anyone with pertinent information to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.
Byrd was born on September 9, 1983, in Portsmouth, Ohio, to parents Rick Grooms and Erika Byrd Gammon. She is survived by her parents; stepfather, William Sadler Jr.; two sons, Devon Jared Phillips of Athens and Jonah James Phillips of West Portsmouth; a brother, Blue Byrd; a sister, Brettney Byrd; and a half-sister, Mindy Grooms. A memorial service was held on January 26, 2024, at the Roger W. Davis Funeral Home in West Portsmouth.
