HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — In a jailhouse interview, a Maryland man vigorously denied kidnapping and prostitution charges made by Henrico prosecutors who alleged he traveled between four states, including Virginia, with seven women. The women, prosecutors said, had sex for money and gave Hicks the cash.

“I’m not a pimp… That’s not in my walk of life,” Tyrone Hicks, who is from Bowie, Maryland but was arrested in Henrico, said from inside the Henrico County Jail.

Hicks was arrested in Innsbrook at the Extended Stay America hotel in April, according to court records.

Tyrone Hicks

Records showed Hicks was found inside his Mercedes Benz parked just outside room 311.   Court records showed Hicks said he did not have any income.

“I’m blessed,” he said when asked how he could afford a luxury vehicle without an income.

Investigators said a man with Hicks at the time of his arrest who was allegedly visiting one of Hicks’ prostitutes advertised on backpage.com.

backpage.com

Among Hicks’ charges are kidnapping and abduction, although prosecutors said the prostitutes initially went with Hicks willingly. But, prosecutors said once the alleged prostitutes worked for Hicks, they could not leave. The court documents showed the alleged prostitute told police Hicks abused her and other prostitutes, and she was scared to leave.

“I’ve never abused anybody, especially not a prostitute cuz I don’t deal with them,” Hicks said.

Hicks said the woman was just a friend of a friend who was driving one of his cars for him, and did not work for him.

He said he “didn’t know” she was a prostitute.

Tyrone Hicks

Police records showed Hicks allegedly recruited prostitutes from inside the Henrico Jail while making jailhouse phone calls.

Those records showws Hicks allegedly referred the woman to his social media pages to see what he looked like.

Hicks said he made calls from the jail to “females that I know of course, but not on any type level that they’re accusing.”

Court documents showed the alleged prostitute found at the Extended Stay America hotel was taken to a shelter for sex trafficking victims for rehabilitation.

Tyrone Hicks and WTVR CBS6 reporter Melissa Hipolit.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico mother Connie Ditto is missing. Her husband Mark said no one has seen or heard from his wife since Tuesday night when she checked into Patient First in Short Pump complaining of head pains.

“I am clueless as to what happened,” Mark Ditto said.

Connie Ditto, 41, is the owner of Organic Hair Studio located in the Phenix Salon Suites at West Broad Village, her husband said. Mark added he spoke with his wife Tuesday night around 8 p.m. while she was at work.

“She said she wasn’t feeling well and was going to go to a walk-in clinic,” he said.

Connie Ditto (PHOTO: Family photo)

That clinic was the Patient First on Pump Road near West Broad Street in Short Pump. Police later told Mark Ditto his wife checked in at the Patient First that night, but left before her name was called.

Mark said his wife texted him from Patient First and told him not to come. She said she was being sent to the hospital for X-rays. Mark later learned that was not true and his wife left before seeing a doctor. Connie Ditto’s cell phone was turned off after that final text exchange.

“Why did she turn her phone off?” a confused Mark Ditto asked rhetorically.

Connie Ditto (PHOTO: Family photo)

Ditto said he and his teenage step-daughters, Connie’s biological children, drove to Patient First and then to hospitals looking for Connie. They could not find her. The next morning Ditto filed a missing person’s report.

Henrico Police confirmed officers were investigating the case. On Wednesday, Mark Ditto said he drove around Short Pump looking for hidden places Connie may have crashed.

He said his wife has battled both alcohol abuse and depression in her life.

Last week, he said, she hurt her head in a fall. Mark Ditto said he feared her disappearance may be the result of an internal injury she either failed to disclose or did not know about.

Connie Ditto (PHOTO: Family photo)

“I fear she’s driven off somewhere, that’s she’s blacked out and gone,” Mark Ditto said.

As police check credit card reports, hoping for a hit, Connie’s customers continue to show up at the salon for appointments.

“It’s not like her not to cancel appointments,” Mark Ditto said.

Connie Ditto was driving a dark blue 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan, small SUV. Va license plate # WLV8676, her husband said. She is described as a Hispanic female, 5’2″, 115 pounds, with shoulder length dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who sees Connie, or knows where she is was asked to call Henrico Police at 804-501-5000.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A large house fire reported Friday morning on Chickview Court in eastern Henrico has been brought under control, according to witnesses who snapped photos of the fire.

In addition to fire damage at the home where the fire was reported, the witnesses stated they saw heat damage to neighboring houses. Neighbors also reported hearing a loud pop prior to seeing the fire.

There are no initial reports of injuries associated with this fire. This is a developing story.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico police said late Friday afternoon that missing mother Connie Ditto has been found safe.

Her husband Mark Ditto said he had been a nervous wreck, not having seen or heard from Connie since Tuesday night.

“I haven’t eaten,” he said. “I haven’t slept.”

Henrico police said late Friday afternoon that missing mother Connie Ditto has been found safe.

Ditto’s husband Mark said no one had seen or heard from his wife since Tuesday night when she checked into Patient First in Short Pump complaining of head pains.

“She said she was going to a walk in facility,” Ditto said.  “She was having headaches and dizziness.”

“I said ‘Where are you going to go?  Let me come get you.’”

“She said ‘No I got to go and hung up,’” Ditto recounted.

Henrico police said late Friday afternoon that missing mother Connie Ditto has been found safe.

That was around 8 p.m., when she was at the salon she owns, Organic Hair Studio located in the Phenix Salon Suites at West Broad Village, her husband said.

She was seen on video at a Patient First five minutes away.

“She signed in at the desk,” Ditto said. “She sat down to wait, was there a couple of minutes; got up walked out and left.”

Then, when Mark started texting Connie asking how she was doing, she replied in texts that she had “to get X-ray.  I think they going to do surgery.  They transport me to the hospital.  I lost my vision in my right eye.”

Then, one minute later:  “I have to go.”

Connie Ditto (PHOTO: Family photo)

And then, four minutes later at 9:13 p.m.  Connie tells her husband:  “Mark do not come.  I do have injury very badly on my shoulder too.”

Then, according to her husband, her phone was off.

“At that point, we went to the Patient First,” Ditto said. “Her car wasn’t in the parking lot or anything.”

Mark checked every hospital in the area.  But he says they didn’t have a record for Connie.

Capt. Linda Toney with Henrico police would only say that Connie Ditto was safe, but would not elaborate on where or how she was found.

Police said this is an ongoing investigation and additional information may still be released.

People have speculated that a woman found by a local police department in Maine, wandering the town without identification, unable or unwilling to speak, is Connie Ditto. The reporter for that story reached out to CBS 6 and clearly stated they are not the same person.

HENRICO, Va. — Organizers are preparing for a party in Short Pump, but the two guests of honor will not be in attendance. Friends and family of Mike Margaret and Donna Hall are remembering the high school sweethearts with a celebration of life – 31 years after their murders.

“It was devastating. It was a blow to the entire community,” said organizer Blue Hall. “They’re going to be in our hearts forever.”

The young couple was found brutally murdered in the west end in August of 1984, their killer – or killers — never caught. Donna was an 18-year-old Freeman High School graduate and Mike, a 21-year-old graduate of Tucker High School.

“This event is the culmination of the community coming together saying we won’t forget,” Hall said.

Friends hope to solve the cold case of the murder of Donna Hall and Mike Margaret.

For Mike’s brother Scott Margaret, the pain still lingers three decades – and many questions – later.

“I miss him. I miss him a lot,” he said. “And it hurts not to have that future.”

“There is not one day that goes by that I or my sister thinks about this case,” Scott said.

Mike’s sister Allyson is touched by the outpouring of love. so many years later.

“It is a blessing that they are all coming together and putting this on and raising money,” Allyson Lucas said. “It means a lot to me.”

Money raised Friday night at the silent auction will go directly to a new reward fund established by the Friedman Law Firm, who donated the first $1,500 of an intended $15,000.

“It warms my heart tremendously that my family has not been alone in this,” Scott said.

Organizers vow to remember their friends, who will always be young to them.

“These were two lives that were taken far too early,” said Blue. “Justice needs to be served.”

The event starts at 6 p.m. at Bar Louie in Henrico’s West End.

People can donate to the reward one of two ways:

1. Make checks payable to:
Friedman Law Firm, P.C Trust
Memo Line (Required) – Donna and Mike
Mail to:
Friedman Law Firm, P.C Trust
9620 Iron Bridge Rd #101
Chesterfield, VA 23832
or

2. Online Donations Link

Donna and Mike were last seen alive on August 17, 1984. Their bodies were found stabbed and their throats cut on August 21.

Police can track the couple’s whereabouts every hour from around 4 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. on Friday, August 17, 1984. The last time the couple was seen alive was at an intimate get together with friends – not quite a “party.”

The couple told friends and family they planned to go camping. Their packed suitcases were later found in Mike’s Jeep.

The bodies were discovered in the Henrico woods which once sprawled out along Patterson Avenue, now known as the suburban Kings Crossing division.

The crime is believed to be emotional, detectives said, based on the “overkill” of the couple.

A torrential downpour just hours after the murders wiped away a lot of evidence, police said. A third blood type was found inside the Jeep. The last DNA test they did was in 2006, before that 1987, but no match was made.

This evidence will be resubmitted to the state’s lab.

Their murders have lately come back into the spotlight, with people more readily sharing information three decades later, and as an almost 3,000-member Facebook group aptly called “Justice for Donna Hall and Mike Margaret” crowdsources memories, clues and tips.

If you have any information concerning the murders, please contact Henrico County Detective Thomas Holsinger at 804-501-5276.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Henrico man who asked the public for help in finding his missing wife has now been charged with assaulting her after police found her safe Friday.

Mark Ditto’s prayers were answered Friday when his wife, Connie, was found safe, but the celebration was short lived when he was charged with assault and taken into custody by Henrico Police.

Connie and Mark Ditto

Ditto made a passionate plea for help after he received a bizarre text from his wife Tuesday night, and then never heard from her again.

A police source said an officer found Connie when a license plate reader captured her plate.

That source also said Connie was found at the Extended Stay America Hotel in Innsbrook unharmed.

She then took out a protective order against her husband, and our source said she told police she was hiding from him because he allegedly assaulted her last week.

Henrico police said late Friday afternoon that missing mother Connie Ditto has been found safe.

CBS 6 reporter Melissa Hipolit talked to Mark Ditto over the phone at the Henrico County jail.

He didn`t want to go on camera yet, but he said the allegations are totally false, and her own daughters made statements to that effect.

Mark said the assault allegations stem from an incident last Thursday night, when he said his wife was drunk, and he and her daughters tried to take her car keys away from her so she wouldn’t leave the house.

Ditto also said the following: “I’m totally floored. We as a family are very happy Connie was found unharmed. I’m very sad and sorry for her apparent health problems. I’m very disappointed by what she’s put her family through and all the people across the country who supported her search.”

We stopped by the Ditto’s home tonight to see if we could talk to Connie, but nobody was home.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Police responded to the scene of a shooting in Henrico around 4:20 a.m. Monday.

Police were called to the 5400 block of Edgefield Street, near Henrico High school, over shots being fired. When they arrived, they found a man outside of a residence, suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

The victim was taken to VCU Medical Center.

A few hours later the man died due to his injuries.

The motive is unknown, and detectives are continuing their investigation.

At this time, the victim’s identity is not being released pending positive identification and next of kin notification.

Police have released no information about suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 780-1000.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A man is in jail after police said he took a picture up a child’s skirt in Henrico County.

Jerrin Riemann, 28, was charged with unlawful creation of an image.

Police said the upskirting incident happened Saturday afternoon at a store in the 11600 block of West Broad Street, in the Downtown Short Pump Shopping Center that houses Barnes and Noble.

Police said the victim did not know the Riemann.

Jerrin Riemann

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — The Barnes and Noble in Short Pump is increasing its security after Henrico police arrested a man for “upskirting” a child inside the store on Saturday afternoon.

Jerrin Riemann, 28, of Louisa County was charged with unlawful creation of an image.

“That sounds awful,” Haley Moore, a customer, said.

“I’m speechless to be honest… it’s not really a place where I would expect this to happen,” Ishita Purohit, a customer, said.

Henrico police said they received a call for a suspicious situation Saturday, and when they arrived they arrested Riemann and charged him for upskirting a young girl.

“I really don’t think children should wear skirts anymore,” Moore said.

Riemann declined to do a jailhouse interview Monday evening.

“It’s a very open public place to do something like that,” Purohit, said.

This is the second time this summer police have arrested a man for taking pictures up someone’s skirt at the Short Pump Barnes and Noble.

Back on June 19, Brandon Christopher Gover was charged with unlawful filming after a woman told police she saw Gover taking photographs up a victim’s skirt at the bookstore.

“That’s awful that you have to start worrying about things like that,” Moore said.

Barnes and Noble provided the following statement about Saturday’s incident:

“We take this incident very seriously and are, in fact, taking additional steps to increase security in our Short Pump store. We are cooperating fully with authorities and cannot comment further on the ongoing investigation. We want to assure our customers that our store is a safe place to bring children to shop.”

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico Police identified the victim in a homicide case and said the suspect or suspects may have driven away from the scene in a vehicle with a shattered window.

The victim, 45 year old Jacques Gauthier of the 5400 block of Stone Lane, Richmond, was taken to VCU Medical Center. A few hours later he died due to his injuries.

Police Gauthier shot, in the 5400 block of Edgefield Street — near Henrico High school — around 4:20 a.m. Monday.

He was suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

The motive is unknown, and detectives are continuing their investigation.

The suspect or suspects in this homicide may have driven away from the scene in a vehicle with a shattered window (unknown if the window was the front, rear, side, passenger, or driver’s side window).

Police have released no other information about suspects.

If you have any information about this vehicle or the death of Mr. Gauthier, please contact Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

HENRICO, Va. — An 80-acre mixed-use development off Staples Mill Road is revving up for its first residential section and got an initial green light for a plan to take the skyline in that part of Henrico County to new heights.

Gumenick Properties is preparing to begin construction on a new five-story retail and apartment building at its Libbie Mill-Midtown development and also recently secured approval from the county to build a massive tower in the center of the project.

The five-story building will include 40,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor, with 327 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments on the top four floors.

The apartment building marks Libbie Mill’s first stab at residential use. The development began with the opening of a Southern Season grocery store, and work is underway on office space that already has a large tenant signed on. A large new county library is set to open there in October, as well.

With the other aspects of Libbie Mill coming together, Gumenick spokesman Ed Crews said the time is now right to bring residential units into the mix.

“We have office, we have retail, we have the library coming online – now it’s time to have some residents in the apartments,” Crews said. “From the very beginning we’ve said that the community is going to be not only a retail destination, but also a community where people can make a home. When we have the apartments open, you’ll begin to get a sense of community.”

Amenities planned for the apartment building’s residents will include a 38,000-square-foot outdoor area at the building’s core, which will sit above covered parking, and calls for a pool, fountains, outdoor grills and other entertainment spaces.

Each apartment unit is also set to include a private balcony or terrace.

Continue reading on RichmondBizSense.com

Police said someone broke into four homes along Northwind Place and Drammen Place and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

Suzanne Esposito lives in the neighborhood and said she was walking her dog when she noticed a strange man in a neighbor’s yard.

“It was weird,” Esposito said.

Esposito said the man told her he was looking for a lost dog.

“He just looked at us and went across the street trying to avoid us and said’ I’m looking for a lost dog,’” Esposito said. “He didn’t ask if we saw the dog or anything like that.”

Esposito and other neighbors said the man got into his car, parked on Northwind, when he noticed people watching him, and took off at a very high rate of speed.

“It’s bold, desperate,” Esposto said. “I believe he was going in the back lower windows.”

Police haven’t made any arrests yet or released a suspect description, and people who live in the neighborhood said they aren’t taking any chances.

Susie Trible, who is home everyday gardening, said she now plans to lock her garage door even when she’s home.
“As of today, I start locking the door because if I’m around the side or the back they can come up the street or anything and go in my garage door and go in the house,” she said.

HENRICO, Va. – A clerk at a store off of Nine Mile Road thwarted a daylight robbery on Sunday, Aug. 16.

At approximately 12:49 p.m., Henrico Police Officers responded to the 5200 block of Nine Mile Road to investigate a reported attempted robbery of a commercial business.

The clerk told police that a suspect entered the store, retrieved a package of toilet paper, and approached the checkout register. As the suspect lowered the toilet paper onto the counter, he displayed a handgun and demanded money.

The clerk realized that the weapon that the suspect was holding was actually a toy and grabbed the fake weapon from the suspect. The suspect then left the business.

Police described the suspect as a black male, roughly 25-32 years old, 5’8 to 6’ tall, with an average build.

The suspect had a goatee and was wearing a white t-shirt wrapped around the top portion of his head, a purple shirt, and jean shorts.

He was last seen getting into a gold, four-door sedan (possibly an older model Pontiac Grand Am) with a spoiler on the back.

“It is important to remind business owners and employees that they should never challenge a suspect who is attempting to rob them,” police said, in a release. “It is much safer to abide by the suspect’s demands than to attempt to overpower them.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 780-1000. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the key word “ITip” followed by your tip. Both Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A 45-year-old home health nurse is behind bars accused of stealing money from a patient she was caring for in Henrico County.

Henrico police said Sonya Letrice Green had only recently begun working as a home healthcare nurse when she began stealing and depositing checks from the victim.

Officers were called to the 8200 block of Shelley Road on July 30 after the elderly victim reported the theft.

Police said the victim discovered the crime when she checked her bank account online and noticed irregularities.

Court documents

She told police the thefts must have happened when Green worked for her over two weekends in July.

Green stated that she worked for a local home healthcare agency, according to court paperwork. However, when WTVR CBS 6 questioned the business, officials said she has not worked for them.

Green was arrested Thursday on nearly a dozen felony charges. She is being held without bond.

Sonya Letrice Green

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A man has been hospitalized after they were hit by a SUV while walking along a Henrico intersection.

Henrico police said the call came in around 9:56 p.m.

They said the man was pinned under the vehicle after he was struck from behind, while walking near the intersection of Nile Mile Road and Pleasant St.

Fire fighters and police had to use equipment to lift the vehicle off the man. He was rushed to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

A crash team is on their way to the scene.

Nine Mile road is currently locked down. This story is developing.

Nile Mile Road and Pleasant St.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A woman says she heard screaming just moments after a pedestrian was struck and then pinned by an SUV near the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Pleasant Road in Henrico Friday night.

Charmaine Smith said she heard the crash.

“When you hit a body, you wouldn’t think it’s that loud, but it was actually real loud,” Smith said.

Smith lives across from the busy intersection where the fatal accident happened.

Charmaine Smith points to where the fatal accident happened.

“When I came out, I heard…it was few minutes and a car was out there,” she said. “Then I heard someone holler… She was just hollering because I guess the way the man was pinned up under the truck.”

Henrico police responded to the emergency call at the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Pleasant Street after witnesses reported seeing the victim being struck from behind by an SUV.

Investigators said the man became pinned under the vehicle. In fact, firefighters had to use special equipment to lift the SUV from him.

The victim, whose name has not yet been released, was transported to VCU Medical Center, but died from his injuries Saturday morning.

The accident scene.

Smith was saddened to hear the victim had died. While she has seen a number of accidents at the intersection, she said there has never been one involving a pedestrian.

Smith, who works at the nearby Dollar General, and walks to work is now vowing to be careful.

“Sometimes it takes me 10 minutes or 5 minutes,” Smith said. “So I try to be safe by just waiting to make sure nothing’s coming…”

And with a new Walmart being built at the site of the former Fairfield Commons Mall, Smith worries increased traffic could mean more accidents.

“I know it’s going to be outrageous,” she said. “Everybody’s excited about it, but I’m kind of not.”

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck by a car in Henrico’s West End near the Nottingham Green Apartments Saturday evening.

Henrico police said the accident happened in the 9100 block of Quioccasin Road around 7 p.m.

The victim was transported to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Police said the driver did stop. There has been no word if that person will face any charges.

HENRICO, Va. — All lanes have reopened after a multi-vehicle crash along I-64 east not far from Bottoms Bridge snarled traffic Sunday evening.

The east left shoulder and left land were closed, but all lanes had reopened by 7 p.m.

Traffic was backed up more than four miles as of 5:35 p.m. But by 7 p.m. that backup was down to two miles.

HENRICO, Va. – A mother was arrested after police determined she forged stolen checks and obtained prescriptions by fraud.

According to police, the victim reported she had ordered checks from her financial institution, but they never arrived.

When she followed up on the checks, she determined that one had been passed in the 00 block of West Nine Mile Road, at a pharmacy.

Officers were able to determine the individual who passed the check was Jessica Lynn Lail, age 28, who was accompanied by her juvenile child at the time of the incident.

Lail, age 28, is a Highland Springs resident.

She was charged with obtaining prescriptions by fraud, possession of a schedule II drug, contributing, two counts of forgery, petit larceny, and identity theft.

GOOCHLAND, Va. — Health department officials are investigating a possible Meningitis death in Goochland County.

CBS 6 has learned it occurred at Hallmark Youth Care, a facility for adolescents with behavioral issues.

Hallmark Youth Care

Health Department officials confirm they know meningitis is at least in the facility. They have diagnosed a second patient at Hallmark with viral meningitis however they expect that person to be okay.

“I want to make sure the community is not alarmed, we don’t believe this is an illness that is spreading,” Dr. Parham Jaberi with the Chesterfield Health Department said.

Meningitis was thrust in the regional spotlight after a three year old reportedly died from the disease less than two weeks ago in New Kent County.

Jaberi said he doesn’t not think the area is experiencing an outbreak and they have no reason to believe the Goochland and New Kent cases are linked.

Dr. Parham Jaberi with the Chesterfield Health Department

“We don’t have any information that suggests in anyway these two cases are connected,” Jaberi added.

Symptoms of Meningitis include pain in the neck, sensitively to light, fatigue, and nausea. Anyone with the symptoms who believes they have meningitis is urged to seek immediate help.

The Chickahominy Health District serves New Kent, Hanover, Charles City and Goochland.

CBS 6 has learned parents of Hallmark patients have been informed and that it the building has been sanitized so it can remain open.