Darryl Washington

Darryl LaVeris Washington was a 37-year-old resident of Chesapeake, Virginia. At the time of his death in 2009, the Black man lived in the 1000 block of Cascade Boulevard. His funeral service was held at Bethany Baptist Church, suggesting he was part of a local faith community. Though few public details about his personal life and family are available, his death remains an unresolved sorrow for those who knew and cared for him.

The night of Friday, May 22, 2009, turned tragic in a quiet residential neighborhood. Around 11:25 p.m., residents near Plow Lane heard the sound of gunshots and alerted the authorities. When officers from the Chesapeake Police Department arrived at the scene, they found Darryl Washington lying unresponsive in the front yard of a home at 2016 Plow Lane. He had been shot.

Emergency medical personnel rushed Washington to the nearby Chesapeake Regional Medical Center in a desperate attempt to save his life. Tragically, their efforts were in vain, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound, and his case was officially classified as a homicide.

The Chesapeake Police Department immediately began an investigation into the killing. Detectives canvassed the area and sought information from potential witnesses, but the initial stages of the inquiry did not yield any publicly released information about a suspect or a motive. No description of a perpetrator or any involved vehicles was ever provided to the public, and the trail for investigators soon grew cold.

In the years that have passed since Darryl Washington's murder, his case has remained without a resolution. No arrests have ever been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. His name is now listed on the Chesapeake Police Department's roster of cold case homicides, one of many unsolved killings in the city awaiting a crucial break. The specific circumstances that led to him being shot in a front yard on Plow Lane that night remain a mystery.

The lack of answers has left a lasting void for Washington's family and community. Without justice, there can be no true closure. His case is a somber reminder of the devastating and enduring impact of gun violence, which not only ends a life but also leaves a legacy of unanswered questions and unresolved grief for loved ones.

As of May 2024, the investigation into the murder of Darryl Washington is still open. Detectives in the cold case unit periodically review the file, hoping that new technology or a witness with a long-held secret will finally come forward. The Chesapeake Police Department continues to ask for the public's help, urging anyone with even the smallest piece of information to step forward and help bring justice to Darryl Washington and his family.