James Lawitz, a 30-year-old White man known for his kind heart and dedication, was a native of the Albany, New York area who had recently relocated to Henrico, Virginia. A standout football player in high school, he earned a degree in kinesiology from Avila College and channeled his passion for sports into a career of helping others. He worked as a teacher, personal trainer, and an assistant football coach at Greensboro College and the University at Albany. His ambition to serve his community had recently led him to pursue a career as a firefighter, and he had just passed the written and physical exams to join a Virginia fire department. His family and friends remembered him as a loyal and generous person with a smile that could light up any room.
In the late morning of September 15, 2024, the quiet of a Henrico neighborhood was shattered by the sound of gunfire. At approximately 11:36 a.m., Henrico Police were dispatched to the 100 block of South Cedar Avenue in the Varina District following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, officers discovered James Lawitz in the side yard of a residence. He had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Lawitz's death moved swiftly. The day after the fatal shooting, Henrico County Police announced the arrest of a suspect, 18-year-old Troy Vincent Charran Jr., also a resident of Henrico. Charran was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The case concluded when Troy Vincent Charran Jr. pleaded guilty to the murder of James Lawitz. For his crime, he was sentenced to serve 38 years in prison.
