MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation after a man was found dead on Monday morning.
Authorities said they responded to an apartment on Summit View Drive in Martinsville Monday at 7:28 a.m. for a well-being check.
When deputies arrived and went inside the residence, they said they found 46-year-old Michael Hairston dead. His body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Roanoke for autopsy.
Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis and his team quickly determined there may have been foul play involved after hearing about the type of person Hairston was.
“Very uncharacteristic for this individual, he was described as a hard worker by everyone,” Davis said.
Throughout the investigation, Sheriff Wayne Davis said they determined Hairston got home on Oct. 21 around 5:12 p.m., which was captured on a neighbor’s doorbell camera.
At 7:08 p.m., two people – who appeared to be a man and a woman – were captured going inside the apartment, and several minutes later, ran away from the apartment.
On that same night, authorities said the doorbell camera owner called at 7:20 p.m. to report two juveniles who were outside of her apartment. The neighbor also said they might have tried to damage her door.
Two deputies then responded to the complex and spoke to the neighbor through the doorbell camera, Sheriff Davis said.
We’re told the deputies checked the complex and then left after not finding any damage to the doors.
Both individuals shown in the video are considered suspects, according to Sheriff Davis.
“I know the images aren’t the clearest but if anyone sees anything in those videos, I ask them to take a really close look...particularly at their shoes, clothing, anything else that can possibly identify them ... please give us a call,” Davis said.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2500.00 for crime-related information. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid.
You can also submit an anonymous tip through the Citizen’s Connect portal.