In the quiet town of Vansant, Virginia, a tragedy unfolded that shook the community to its core. Amber Dawn Compton, a 35-year-old White female, was found deceased in her home on Saturday, October 22, 2022. A mother of three, Amber was also seven months pregnant at the time of her death. The cause of her death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into her death began after the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office received a call about a missing woman just before 10
p.m. on that Saturday. Deputies responding to the call discovered Amber's body inside her residence. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called in to assist with the forensic investigation of the scene.
The focus of the investigation quickly turned to Amber's boyfriend, 38-year-old Dustin Barret Owens, also from Vansant. Evidence and statements gathered during the initial investigation led authorities to obtain a warrant for his arrest. In the early morning hours of Sunday, October 23, 2022, law enforcement located Owens at his home and took him into custody without incident. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Haysi.
Both Amber Compton and Dustin Owens were employed by the Virginia Department of Corrections at the Keen Mountain Correctional Facility in Oakwood, Virginia, where Amber worked as a registered nurse. Authorities have stated that Owens was the father of Amber's unborn child and believe they have a motive for the crime, though they have not publicly elaborated on it due to the ongoing investigation. The investigation continues, and further criminal charges are expected.
