On a tragic Christmas Eve in 2019, the life of 37-year-old Lori Ann Harmon Leath was cut short in Halifax County, Virginia. A registered dental hygienist in South Boston, she was a mother and a daughter, remembered by her family as their 'shining light.' That evening, both Lori and her husband, Philip Leath, a former Virginia state trooper, were discovered deceased in front of their home on Bellvue Road.
Authorities were alerted to the scene by a passerby who had witnessed a portion of
the devastating events. When law enforcement arrived, they found both Lori and Philip Leath with apparent gunshot wounds. A rifle was recovered at the scene of the incident, which unfolded between the Town of Halifax and South Boston.
The investigation conducted by the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the South Boston Police Department and Virginia State Police, concluded that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide. It was determined that Philip Leath shot his wife, Lori, before turning the weapon on himself. The incident was classified as domestic in nature. While there had been no recent calls to their residence that might have indicated imminent trouble, court records did show that in May of 2018, both Lori and Philip had been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery of a family member. Philip Leath had also faced an additional charge of obstruction of justice. The bodies were sent to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke for autopsies. The community was left to mourn the sudden and violent loss of a woman described as a precious and beautiful daughter who would be forever missed.
