Velda L. Garner, a 57-year-old Black female, was found deceased in her Richmond, Virginia, home on the evening of February 3, 2016. Her death was the result of a single gunshot wound and was ruled a homicide by the Richmond Police Department. The discovery of her body was prompted by an earlier incident that morning.
Earlier on the same day, at approximately 7:57 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to a call on East Cary Street.
There, they found 58-year-old Richard Burton of Henrico, who was suffering from what was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide. The investigation into Burton's death led detectives to conduct a welfare check at the residence of his girlfriend, Velda Garner, on Burton Street. It was during this check, at 6:24 p.m., that they found Ms. Garner deceased inside her home.
Authorities concluded that Garner's death was part of a homicide-suicide perpetrated by Richard Burton. Due to the death of the offender, the case was cleared with no arrests made. Velda Garner was a mother of four and a grandmother to nine, with one great-grandchild at the time of her death.
