On the evening of April 2, 2024, in the Dublin area of Pulaski County, Virginia, the life of 25-year-old Chad Odell Pennington of Hiwassee was tragically cut short. Responding to a disturbance call at approximately 8 p.m. in the 4800 block of Lee Highway, deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office discovered Pennington deceased at the scene.
The investigation that followed would reveal a story of violence and a swift attempt to flee from justice.
Investigators determined that Pennington had been shot multiple times. The man identified as the perpetrator was Daniel Nathen Janack. Following the fatal shooting, Janack allegedly stole Pennington's vehicle and fled the state, heading south into North Carolina. His attempt to escape was short-lived. In the early morning hours of April 3rd, around 5 a.m., law enforcement in Selma, North Carolina, apprehended Janack after a vehicle pursuit. He was found driving the vehicle he had stolen from Pennington.
After his capture, the legal process to bring Janack back to Virginia to face charges began. On Wednesday, April 17, he was successfully extradited. Upon his return, he was charged with a litany of serious offenses, including second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additional charges of grand larceny and conspiracy to commit grand larceny were also filed against him. Following his extradition, Daniel Nathen Janack was held without bond at the New River Regional Jail.
