In the early evening hours of June 6, 2022, a sense of unease settled over the 4500 block of George Washington Highway in Portsmouth, Virginia. It was there that 45-year-old Melvin Gregory Bynum was found, having been shot multiple times. The discovery, made around 5 p.m., marked a tragic end to the day and the beginning of a homicide investigation that would leave a family searching for answers.
The male victim's death was a violent one, and the Portsmouth Police Department quickly began their search for those responsible.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, investigators released a description of potential suspects. They were looking for two armed men who were seen in a silver SUV at the scene of the crime. Despite this initial lead, the investigation into Melvin Bynum's death seemed to stall. As months turned into a year, the profound loss felt by his loved ones was compounded by a lack of closure. His sister voiced the family's frustration in January 2023, stating that the case had reportedly gone cold in October of the previous year. She expressed a desire for better communication from the authorities, highlighting the painful silence that had enveloped her brother's case.
The family's plea for information and justice underscored the difficult journey faced by those left behind in the wake of unsolved violence. While the Portsmouth Police Department continued to investigate other homicides and make arrests in separate cases, there has been no publicly available information regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murder of Melvin Gregory Bynum. The two armed men in the silver SUV remain at large, leaving a community and a grieving family to hope that one day, those responsible for his death will be held accountable.
