HENRY CO., Va. – A 2016 Henry County murder case has gone unsolved for years. On Tuesday afternoon, authorities announced that there have been developments in the case.
On August 8, 2016, the body of Everett Bivins Jr. was found in the Fieldale area of Henry County.
The sheriff’s office ruled that the death was a homicide when his body was found. His cause of death has still not been shared.
Sheriff Davis said Tuesday an indictment had been made in the case. Kenneth Gearheart is now facing the following charges, according to the sheriff’s office:
- Aggravated murder of a witness
- Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
- Possession of a firearm by a violent felon
“He’s always been a person of interest,” Davis said. “There was no shining light moment. The work that this office, Lieutenant Kenny, and the Commonwealth Attorney’s office put into over the past seven years culminated in the indictment.”
Once Gearheart’s counsel is appointed in the homicide case, his trial will move forward.
We’re told he is currently at a correctional facility serving a 95-year sentence for multiple drug charges from 2019, authorities said.
Henry County Commonwealth Attorney, Andrew Nester, said the new charges will be added on top of the charges he’s already serving.
“Based on those charges Mr. Gearheart faces a maximum punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole,” Nester said.
Nester and his office reached Bivins Jr.’s spouse to let her know of the news.
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office held a press release on Tuesday afternoon to make the announcement. You can watch it in full below.