Richmond woman, teenager arrested in connection to 2024 Charles City murder

Shorter

Charles City County Sheriff’s Office have arrested two individuals connected to a March 2024 homicide.

Shantalaya Shorter, 21, and a 17-year-old juvenile (at the time of the offense), both from the City of Richmond, were arrested after a multi-agency investigation between Charles City County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police.

On Mar. 20, 2024, Charles City County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 7600 block of Church Lane. Upon arriving on scene, the authorities discovered Aubrey Jonson, 58, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Johnson was pronounced dead on scene.

Investigators gathered information from witnesses of a vehicle that fled the scene. Using Flock cameras, the vehicle was positively identified and was searched once it was located. Upon searching the vehicle, a firearm was recovered that was connected to the crime.

Cellphone data and other digital investigative technics helped identify Shorter and the 17-year-old juvenile as suspects. The two individuals were taken into custody and now face one count of first-degree murder, robbery, breaking and entering, three counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and malicious shooting in an occupied dwelling. The juvenile is also facing an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“This was an excellent example of agencies collaborating together, using digital forensics, fore one common goal and that is to bring these people to justice to face allegations in which they have been charged with,” said Charles City County Sheriff Jayson Crawley in the press release.

Shorter is being head at Riverside Regional Jail without bond, while the 17-year-old juvenile at the time of the offense is being held in a secured facility.