In the early, quiet hours of January 8, 2019, the sense of peace in a Hampton, Virginia neighborhood was shattered. Police responded to a call concerning a possible stolen vehicle in the vicinity of Duluth Court and Juanita Drive. The initial report, however, would quickly evolve into a homicide investigation. Inside a green Volvo sedan, officers discovered the body of 24-year-old Dominique Rashawn James, a male resident of Hampton.
He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene by members of the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.
The circumstances leading up to the discovery of Dominique James's body began with a report of a stolen vehicle from the nearby city of Newport News. When officers located the car, they found it still running with the driver's side and rear driver's side doors ajar. Evidence of a violent encounter was immediately apparent, with blood visible on the interior of the rear driver's side door frame. Dominique James was found deceased in the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle. The neighborhood, described by residents as typically quiet and filled with long-term homeowners, was left shaken by the violent event that had unfolded in their midst.
In the years that have followed, the investigation into the death of Dominique Rashawn James has remained active. However, the motive behind the shooting and the specific circumstances of his death are still under investigation by the Hampton Police Division. To date, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide. Authorities have continued to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case, encouraging anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward. The case is listed in the Virginia Cold Case Database as an active homicide.
