In the early morning hours of February 12, 2013, a passing motorist in Isle of Wight, Virginia, reported a car engulfed in flames in a field off Nike Park Road in the Carrollton area of the county. First responders arrived to extinguish the blaze and discovered a gruesome scene nearby. The body of a young man, later identified as 21-year-old Torrey Lamont Anderson, was found approximately six to eight feet from the burning vehicle. An investigation by the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office determined that Anderson had been shot multiple times before his body was intentionally set on fire in a separate blaze from the car.
The investigation into the death of the male victim delved into his background, revealing a life of some complexity. Originally from the Raleigh and Wake County area of North Carolina, Anderson had a history of involvement with a gang and had been incarcerated on a gun charge. However, in an effort to turn his life around, he had moved to Murfreesboro, North Carolina, to live with his grandparents. There, he had secured a job and was reportedly taking steps to further his education. In the days leading up to his death, Anderson had been staying with a woman in Newport News, Virginia.
Despite the efforts of the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office, assisted by state police and the FBI, the case has grown cold. Investigators were able to identify a person of interest within 72 hours of the discovery of Anderson's body. This individual was an acquaintance of Anderson's with a known history of gang activity in northeastern North Carolina. He was interviewed multiple times by authorities but has remained uncooperative. Law enforcement officials have indicated that this person of interest is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges.
To date, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed in the murder of Torrey Lamont Anderson. His death remains one of only two unsolved homicides in Isle of Wight County. Authorities have utilized cell phone records to track movements between Newport News and Isle of Wight on the night of the murder. A reward has been offered for any information that leads to an arrest in the case, as investigators continue to seek the missing pieces of the puzzle that could bring closure to Anderson's family.
