2 MCPS Grads Found Slain In Southern Virginia: State Police

GERMANTOWN, MD — Virginia State Police have launched a homicide investigation after two Northwest High School grads were found dead in Halifax County on Saturday morning.

Authorities have identified the homicide victims as Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin, 19, of Germantown, Md., and Ntombo Joel Bianda, 21, of Alexandria, Va. State police described the victims as "close acquaintances."

Around 2:51 a.m. on Saturday, state troopers responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash on Route 58 (Philpott Road) in Halifax County's Turbeville community. When authorities arrived, they found a silver 2009 Nissan Maxima registered to Bianda in the median and two bodies lying near the vehicle.

Their deaths were not a result of the crash, according to state police. Authorities are exploring the possibility that a second car might have been involved in the incident.

The place where their bodies were found, authorities said, is "fairly isolated" and "not heavily traveled" overnight.

Their remains were taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke, Va.

"At this stage of the investigation, state police is not releasing each victim's cause of death," authorities said in a statement.

In the meantime, state police are asking for the public's help in the homicide investigation.

"Our special agents are diligently working to determine Mr. Bianda and Ms. Griffin's exact destination Saturday morning and the circumstances surrounding their tragic deaths alongside Route 58 in Halifax County," said Capt. David O. Cooper II, Commander of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Appomattox Field Office. "We are exploring multiple possibilities to include there being a second vehicle involved, which is why it is so important for anyone who may have seen or heard something suspicious early Saturday morning along Philpott Road to reach out to state police."

Anyone with information about this incident should reach out to the Virginia State Police at 434-352-7128 or questions@vsp.virginia.gov. Authorities say they are looking for anyone who may have seen the Nissan with Virginia license plates anywhere between South Boston, Va. and Danville, Va. from 11 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday. State police also want to hear from anyone who may have passed through Route 58 near Melon Road between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. Saturday and saw or heard anything suspicious. Callers can remain anonymous.