In the late afternoon of a Sunday in Virginia Beach, tragedy unfolded in a parking lot on Baker Road, forever altering the lives of a Norfolk family. On March 27, 2011, 36-year-old Chiquita Long was found inside a vehicle, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound. First responders arrived at the scene in the 800 block of Baker Road shortly after 2 p.m., where they pronounced her dead.
Alongside her in the vehicle was 20-year-old Rahkim Goodwin, also suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries that evening. Investigators at the scene quickly pieced together the sequence of events, believing that Goodwin had shot Long before turning the gun on himself. This conclusion was later confirmed by autopsy results from the medical examiner's office, which ruled Long's death a homicide and Goodwin's a suicide. Both had died from gunshot wounds to the head.
The investigation revealed that Long and Goodwin were in a relationship and shared a six-month-old son. Long was also a mother to five other children. Both she and Goodwin were residents of nearby Norfolk. The incident, which took place in a parking lot shared by several businesses including a beauty supply store and a 7-Eleven, left a community in shock and a family grappling with a devastating loss. No further suspects were sought in connection with the murder-suicide.
