In the quiet, rural landscape of Dundas, Virginia, a grim discovery shattered the morning calm on September 29, 2024. The body of Winston Edward Hubbard Jr., a 50-year-old Black male from Richmond, was found lying on the shoulder of Blue Bird Road. This unsettling find was the first chapter of a tragic story that would soon unfold, revealing a second victim and a swift-moving investigation that would lead to a confession.
As Brunswick County Sheriff's deputies began to process the scene,
the situation grew more somber. Several hundred yards away from where Hubbard's body was located, investigators discovered a second deceased individual, later identified as 48-year-old April Melissa Thomas, also from Richmond. Both Hubbard and Thomas had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, their lives abruptly ended and left on a desolate stretch of road near the Lunenburg County line. The initial call to emergency services reported a Black male on the roadside, a call that would launch a comprehensive double homicide investigation.
The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, with the support of local and state agencies and tips from the community, quickly identified a person of interest. Within days of the discovery, authorities announced they were searching for Joseph Lee Powell, a 37-year-old man with ties to Brunswick County, Richmond, and Chesapeake. Powell was already wanted for a probation violation and was considered armed and dangerous. The search for him intensified as he was formally charged with two counts of murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The manhunt for Powell concluded on October 2nd in Richmond, where he was taken into custody without incident by the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the Richmond Police Department. Following his arrest, Brunswick County investigators traveled to Richmond to interview him. During this interview, Powell provided a full confession to the murders of Winston Edward Hubbard Jr. and April Melissa Thomas. He is currently being held without bond. While a motive for the killings has not been publicly released, law enforcement officials have stated that they believe this was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
