News

Actions

Man arrested, victim identified in alleged drug-related murder in Newport News

Posted at 6:49 PM, Nov 19, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-20 17:23:41-05

Newport News, Va. - A 41-year-old Newport News man has been charged with murder after another man was found dead inside of a mobile home on Thursday night.

Antoine Lemonte Holland

Antoine Lemonte Holland

Police served a search warrant on the mobile home in the first block of Arch Street just after 5:00 p.m. and found the deceased victim with trauma to his body.

The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Jose Luis Rodriguez, who lived in the mobile home.

"Just crazy, I can't believe all this happened in a short time," said Christopher Lee Grantham, who knew both men.

A man was taken into custody at a home nearby on Adelaide Street. Antoine Lemonte Holland, 41, has been charged with first degree murder and now remains in the custody of the Newport News Sheriff's Office.

"It just looked like [the police] were out in force. They had shields with their guns drawn there at the trailer. They asked him to come out and he eventually came out. They put him on his knees and handcuffed him and took him away," Grantham said.

Grantham was stunned to hear Holland was arrested for first degree murder.

"He seemed really cool, patient. He didn't seem like he was that type of person. It just came out of the blue," he said.

Police say the dispute between the two men stemmed from drug activity.