In what began as a missing person case, the life of 22-year-old Tyreek Lemar Vincent, a Black male from Newport News, Virginia, came to a tragic end in the fall of 2024. Vincent was last seen on September 20, 2024, in the vicinity of 32nd Street and Chestnut Avenue in Newport News. When he was first reported missing, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance were considered concerning, leading authorities to believe he was endangered.
The search for Vincent spanned several weeks,
culminating in a grim discovery on October 9, 2024. Acting on a tip, the Newport News Police Department, with assistance from the Hampton Police Division, located his remains in a wooded area near Dafia Drive in the neighboring city of Hampton. The case was immediately reclassified as a homicide investigation. It was later revealed that Vincent had been fatally shot.
The investigation into Vincent's death led to the arrest of 35-year-old Azbel Saralegi of Newport News. Saralegi was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder and several firearms offenses. Court documents revealed a chilling narrative, alleging that Saralegi had lured Vincent to a residence on 32nd Street in Newport News on the night he disappeared. It is at this location that police believe Vincent was killed.
Further details from the investigation suggest that Saralegi did not act alone in the aftermath of the killing. Court records indicate that several other individuals were allegedly involved in concealing Vincent's body, which was later moved from the murder scene to the location in Hampton where it was ultimately found. The investigation was aided by information from two inmates at the Newport News City Jail who provided crucial details about Saralegi's involvement. A traffic stop on September 23, during which Saralegi fled from police, also yielded evidence, including a firearm and narcotics in his vehicle, that proved valuable to the case. As the legal proceedings against Azbel Saralegi move forward, the investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the full scope of this crime and the involvement of any other individuals.
