ISLE OF WIGHT CO., Va. - Eighty-year-old Nancy Starnes and her son 58-year-old Kenneth Starnes were found shot dead inside their Smithfield home Saturday morning.
The sheriff is calling their murders “brutal”.
“The age of both of the victims, the fact that they were inside their residence really becomes shocking and it was gruesome, awful crime scene,” Isle of Wight Sheriff Mark Marshall said.
Deputies are still on the hunt for possible suspects, as well as two missing vehicles.
“It’s going to be very important for this investigation to be able to locate these vehicles and do the processing for that,” the Sheriff explained.
They are looking for a gray Ford F150 with license plate KFJ-6882. The other vehicle is a beige 2001 Chrysler van with gold around driver side brake light.
“I honestly freaked out and started crying,” neighbor Tasha Jagger said.
She told News 3 the news is heartbreaking.
“Nancy was a really spirited woman. She was awesome. Ken had a lot of life in him and he was just really fun kind of guy. Kind of calm, kind of quiet all at the same time.”
Detectives tell us the mother and son were likely killed early Friday but their bodies weren’t discovered until Saturday morning.
Investigators say several items like televisions, guns and credit cards appear to have been taken.
Neighbors call the senseless killings too close for comfort.
“You can’t get over the fact that this has happened just next door to you,” Jagger said.
Deputies say they’re not sure of a motive or if the victims knew the suspects.
If you know anything about these killings, take action and call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Click here for our full coverage on the double homicide of Nancy and Kenneth Starnes.
