Man accused of beating GRTC bus driver now suspect in GRTC shooting death

RICHMOND, Va. -- The man accused of violently beating a GRTC bus driver on October 11 is now a suspect in the shooting death of a 23-year-old passenger on another GRTC bus a month later.

Dexter Superville was released in October after originally being charged with a misdemeanor simple assault charge in the GRTC bus driver beating case.

On November 9, Richmond Police responded to a call for a shooting on board another GRTC bus at Southside Plaza where they found Jonathan Contreras in critical condition.

He later died.

Now, law enforcement officials believe Superville is responsible for both attacks.

GRTC bus driver Wayne Harvell was forced to fight for his life after he was violently attacked by Superville. Despite his injuries, and the video evidence, Harvell's worker's compensation claim was denied, so his wife turned to the CBS 6 problem solvers.

We broadcasted our report in March, and two months later, a judge hearing Harvell's appeal ruled in his favor.

"All of his back pay, his medical bills are paid. He continues in treatment, recovering slowly, but he's hurt," Harvell's attorney, Sean Kavanagh with Harbison and Kavanagh, said.

"This is a man who was working 70 hours a week to support his wife and kids, the sole breadwinner. He went from November to this decision with no income, not something many families can sustain," Kavanagh said.

Despite their victory, the family still lives in fear because the man who police said attacked Harvell, Dexter Superville, remains at large at this time.

"I think they're reluctant right now because they're afraid, they're afraid of this individual who is on the loose and who will be seeking repercussion against them if they were out in public talking about it," Kavanagh said.

Richmond Police only charged Superville with misdemeanor simple assault, releasing him a short time later.

In fact, it was Harvell himself who was told he had to go to the magistrate to take out the charge.

"That was a fight for his life, so I wouldn't consider it misdemeanor assault. We've seen the video, this fight goes on for 10-15 minutes. He's kicked in the head violently several times, that goes beyond a misdemeanor, that's deadly intent when you kick someone in the head," Kavanagh said.

Richmond Police told CBS 6 that GRTC never gave RPD investigators the security footage of the beating so they were not aware of how bad it was until they saw our story.

A detective said he then immediately requested the footage and prepared felony warrants on Superville for malicious wounding and strangulation.

"I'm surprised it had to take a news story for the police to find out about the videos rather than GRTC presenting them to the police themselves," Kavanagh said.

A GRTC spokesperson said they work with RPD or the Commonwealth's Attorney regarding video footage when they request it and they do not recall if that happened in this case. They also said GRTC pursued assault and battery and destruction of property charges against Superville and he was banned from their buses.

But, Harvell, who continued driving until a doctor told him not to drive a bus, said Superville appeared on his bus just one week after the attack.

Kavanagh said his client wishes GRTC had pushed for felony charges because that may have kept Superville behind bars.

"I think Wayne was hoping GRTC would take care of it because he's afraid to have his name associated with that, apparently he was told he has to give his name and then the perp would also find out who he is and where he lives, and he wasn't willing to take that risk," Kavanagh said.

Superville is no stranger to law enforcement.

In August of 2017, he was arrested by Henrico Police and charged with 14 counts of robbery and seven counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, but every single charge was ultimately dismissed.

Then, in July of 2020, Superville was arrested after a riot broke out in Monroe Park. He was charged with rioting with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property and possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine.

But three months later, prosecutors dropped the rioting charge and the other two crimes were knocked down to misdemeanors.

Superville was given 12 months in jail but the entire sentence was suspended. He then received supervised probation and walked out of the court a free man.

A little less than one year later is when police said he attacked the bus driver. Now, a multi-state manhunt is underway.

Crime Insider sources said Superville was traced to a homeless shelter in New York City but he escaped before he could be captured.

Five months later, he still has not been caught.