On a quiet road in Lynch Station, Virginia, the life of 40-year-old Jason Marcus of Appomattox County came to a tragic and unexpected end. On September 5, 2022, deputies from the Campbell County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 1000 block of Leesville Road for a welfare check on a motorist. There, they discovered the male victim deceased inside his vehicle.
What began as a suspicious death investigation was soon reclassified as a homicide, sending ripples of concern through the community.
Family members, grappling with the sudden loss, remembered Jason Marcus as a generous man who would give the shirt off his back to help someone in need. As investigators pieced together the events leading to his death, their focus sharpened on a single suspect. The Campbell County Sheriff's Office, aided by the Altavista Police Department, the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office, and the Central Virginia Drug and Gang Task Force, worked diligently on the case.
Their investigation led them to 23-year-old Dashawn Hamlett of Campbell County. After an extensive investigation, authorities secured warrants for his arrest. Hamlett was taken into custody following a vehicle pursuit that began in the town of Altavista and concluded in the 5500 block of Wards Road. He was charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Following his arrest, Hamlett was held without bond at the Lynchburg Detention Center. Authorities indicated at the time that further or upgraded charges were anticipated as their investigation remained active.
