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18-year-old charged with killing 92-year-old Amherst County woman

Shooting happened June 25 on Bobwhite Road

AMHERST COUNTY, Va. – The Amherst County Sheriff's Office has arrested the 18-year-old man it says shot and killed a 92-year-old woman and also shot her 74-year-old daughter.

Early Wednesday morning, authorities arrested Justin Jay Sales, charging him with first-degree murder, malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

During the two weeks since the shooting, investigators, along with members of the ATF, Virginia State Police and the Campell County Sheriff's Office have worked to identify and arrest Sales.

"It's a senseless and heinous crime. We don't have these kinds of things in Amherst County," said Sheriff E.W. Viar Jr. when announcing Wednesday's arrest.

Police found sales in a home on Littleton Lane in Madison Heights.

Investigators are being tight lipped about what led them to sales, but according to police Sales and the victims are not related.

"We been there all night long. We had been there since the day before and we had people out looking for that young man. Based on the information we recieved, investigative techniques we located him. We knew he was in that house," Viar said.

According to court documents found in Amherst County Circuit Court, Sales was charged with Robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a felony in the first offense back in 2017.

But in 2018 a judge dismissed those charges at the request of his attorney.

At this time, 10 News does not know what led up to the shooting.

The sheriff says its still an ongoing investigation.

He's asking anyone with information to call his office at 434-946-9373 or Crime Stoppers 1-888-798-5900.