Trabion Tynes
ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, Va. - Thursday authorities announced an arrest in a cold case that happened 13 years ago.
Forty-four-year-old Trabion Tynes remains in jail accused of killing his father, Johnnie Tynes, Sr.
News 3 spoke to people who are related to both the suspect and the victim and each person we spoke to said they were stunned. Trabion’s mother, Gloria Tynes, said authorities have the wrong guy.
"I know he loved his father. They were very, very close and I don't believe that he did that. They need to stop arresting him over and over again," said Gloria.
Trabion Tynes was originally charged with the murder in 2005, but the Commonwealth's Attorney later dropped all charges against him. His family said he was accused a second time by authorities and even spent three months in jail at one point, but the Commonwealth’s Attorney dropped the charges a few years ago.
However, officials with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office said this summer they took another look at this case and found more witnesses willing to speak up.
"There were a lot of people in 2004 and 2005 that were really reluctant to talk to investigators, but for some reason now they're willing to come forward and talk to us," said Lt. Tommy Potter with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office.
The body of Johnnie Tynes, Sr. was found in his trailer on Tyler's Beach Road in the Rushmere area of the county in June 2004. His death was ultimately ruled a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head. Authorities describe the killing as brutal.
News 3 spoke to his Trabion Tynes back in 2013 when he denied any wrongdoing.
"That wasn't just my father, that was my friend. You know, that's what people forget. That was my friend," said Trabion.
He told us then he wanted the real killer to be found.
"It doesn't bring him back. It just closes the case so that we know who did it. But he's gone, so just got to move on," he said.
Now his family is in shock.
"It's just really sad," said cousin Lennika Charity. "Just a horrible situation."
"He just wants to get back home to his kids and hopes they finally find who did this so they can leave him alone," said Gloria.
His family said he suffers from serious health problems and is the father of six children.
Meanwhile, authorities said people coming forward with information is what lead to this arrest.
"Despite what society believes, it's not a bad thing to cooperate with law-enforcement. That is what helped us with this case: People finally after all these years saying, 'I'll tell you what I know,'" said Lt. Potter.
Trabion was arrested at his home in Surry County on September 13. He was served one indictment for Murder and taken to Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk.
His family said he has a bond hearing Friday at 11 a.m.
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