On a Sunday evening in Franklin, Virginia, the life of 47-year-old Rolando Bynum was tragically cut short. Before 8 p.m. on November 22, 2020, officers were dispatched to the Hi-Lo convenience store located in the 1400 block of South Street following a report of shots fired in the area. Upon their arrival, they discovered Bynum suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite any efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting was a collaborative effort involving several law enforcement agencies. The Franklin Police Department worked alongside the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office, the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police, and the Southampton County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to piece together the events of that fatal evening. Their collective efforts quickly led to the identification of a suspect.
Keonte Flythe, a 25-year-old resident of Franklin, was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Following his arrest, Flythe was taken to the Western Tidewater Regional Jail, where he was held without bond. The swift arrest brought a sense of resolution to the initial phase of the investigation, as the community grappled with the violent loss of one of its members.
