VA - Dawn West, mom of 6, multiple stab wounds, slit throat, tattered clothing, Richmond, 7 Nov 2018

[Eat A Peach]

This is a very clear video.
Im sure people know who he is, but aren’t speaking up.
I don’t think there is much of a mystery as to what happened here.

Amateur opinion and speculation.

My daughter lives in the Downtown. If for a moment I knew she was walking that time of evening, I would lose my mind. The places to conceal something are there for the choosing. This is a few steps from Broad Street and also for those looking to jump drunk college kids. No, IMHO it wasn’t church outreach. And there may be a very real reason police are trying to keep quiet for the family. I also agree, this is no grainy pixelated photo/video.

 

[Eat A Peach]

Has anyone seen an obituary?

Not even a state death listing with her name, that I can find. Maybe ME still has her? Being laid to rest in another state or country? Heartbreaking!

 

[Eat A Peach]

To me after seeing the size differential, there was no hope of fighting him to get away. If this was the perp.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

The walking style and speed in the video looks like he might be walking her home or to somewhere. It doesn’t look like just a casual hanging out type stroll.
(Anyone that hangs on the street would be able to recognize who he is.)

What is the white item in her hand?

Video shows man walking with woman who was found dead in alley

 

[Hraefn]

The walking style and speed in the video looks like he might be walking her home or to somewhere. It doesn’t look like just a casual hanging out type stroll.
(Anyone that hangs on the street would be able to recognize who he is.)

What is the white item in her hand?

Video shows man walking with woman who was found dead in alley

To me it looks like a bottle in her right hand and she's possibly taking a drag of a cigarette with her right hand.

 

[rosesfromangels]

She is in relatively lightweight clothing, but he appears to be dressed in a covert manner with hood up.

I agree this was not a casual stroll. It appeared purposeful, even somewhat rushed.

Opinion and speculation only.

 

[MimosaMornings]

The church itself looks...interesting. They have many locations around the country, sort of like a business franchise (no offense intended by the comparison). What I’m having trouble finding is info on the kinds of services they offer—I feel like this might help explain why Dawn was out at that late hour (did they—like many urban churches—offer shelter to the homeless at night, and did church members like Dawn regularly do outreach to encourage folks to come in?). I also can’t tell if they serve particular disenfranchised populations (drug addicts, formerly-incarcerated folks, pregnant teens, etc.) but again think this information might help illuminate the types of circles in which Dawn may have regularly traveled.

And why would a church ignore an active member that did volunteer work? They don’t even mention Dawn or her family on their FB page. That is sad.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Dawn could have very well been working at volunteering on Wed (the day she was found dead) at Behind the Veil Christian Ministries. Wednesday would be the busiest volunteer day because of the food collected from Rise Above Hair Salon on Tuesdays.
The video shows Dawn walking with a large size man on Wed evening. The walk was with a purpose type walk, not a casual hanging out type stroll. He could have been leaving from volunteering with Dawn or he hangs in the area and offered to walk with her on her way home.

Located 2 Miles from Behind the Veil Christian Ministries is

Rise Aboce Hair Salon 109 W. Brookland Park Blvd

The colorful interior of Rise Above in North Side looks like any hair salon, with beauticians and barbers busy with customers.

But walk into a back room and that’s where the shop at 109 W. Brookland Park Blvd. is unlike any other.

Two days a week — Tuesdays and Fridays — the room is stuffed with surplus food that salon owner Marsha Edwards collects from Sam’s Club in the West End and provides to church food banks and community residents.

Last Friday, the room was filled with bread, cakes and cookies that had just arrived.

“This is a small load,” she said, but it was good enough for people like Michael Churchwell who drove from Church Hill to pick up free items and for others who filtered in.

On Saturdays, Ms. Edwards takes what’s left to seniors who live in an affordable housing complex off Jefferson Davis Highway.

Some weeks, she’ll receive meats and produce as well as bakery goods. The biggest loads arrive on Tuesdays, she said, up to eight pallets of food. On that day, representatives from up to nine churches, ranging from smaller worship centers like Behind the Veil Christian Ministries to more established churches like First African Baptist and St. Stephen’s Baptist churches, come to the salon and pick up items for their food banks.

Power of one / Salon owner runs free food bank in her North Side shop | Richmond Free Press | Serving the African American Community in Richmond, VA

Behind The Veil Christian Ministries online information also lists 10 more local food pantries within 2 Miles in that community.
Behind The Veil Christian Ministries in Richmond, VA - (804) 922-2281

 

[realanastasia]

https://rvahub.com/2018/12/14/police-seeking-person-seen-with-homicide-victim/

This is a Richmond local news site that published an article about Dawn’s disappearance containing 2 still photos, sent by Richmond PD, of the man from the video. Not sure I’ve seen these photos elsewhere and wonder why not—they show much more clearly the man’s face.

I also wanted to note the victim is identified as Dawn S. Dutcher in some news sources, Dawn S. West in others, and even Dawn West Dutcher in one or two places, IIRC. This info may be relevant in terms of looking into her background/history, if anyone’s undertaken that research yet.

Finally, other Websleuthers seem to have implied in their posts that the deceased, as depicted in the video Richmond PD provided, was up to something shady and/or illegal (sex work, street drugs, etc.). I’m wondering on what information these implications are based. Is there evidence that suggests Dawn had a history of such behavior? Of course, if I’m misunderstanding these comments, I hope their writers will forgive me and also enlighten me as to what they actually meant—TYIA!

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

https://rvahub.com/2018/12/14/police-seeking-person-seen-with-homicide-victim/

This is a Richmond local news site that published an article about Dawn’s disappearance containing 2 still photos, sent by Richmond PD, of the man from the video. Not sure I’ve seen these photos elsewhere and wonder why not—they show much more clearly the man’s face.

I also wanted to note the victim is identified as Dawn S. Dutcher in some news sources, Dawn S. West in others, and even Dawn West Dutcher in one or two places, IIRC. This info may be relevant in terms of looking into her background/history, if anyone’s undertaken that research yet.

Finally, other Websleuthers seem to have implied in their posts that the deceased, as depicted in the video Richmond PD provided, was up to something shady and/or illegal (sex work, street drugs, etc.). I’m wondering on what information these implications are based. Is there evidence that suggests Dawn had a history of such behavior? Of course, if I’m misunderstanding these comments, I hope their writers will forgive me and also enlighten me as to what they actually meant—TYIA!

His photo lin that pic ooks clear enough to be an ID photo. Why hasn’t he been found? Is ANYONE even looking for him?

 

[realanastasia]

PERP IN CUSTODY!

RPD Makes Arrest in Decatur Street Homicide

RIP, Dawn.

 

[MathildaM]

Here's another article Man charged with murdering mother of 6 found dead in Richmond alley

 

[Hraefn]

Here's another article Man charged with murdering mother of 6 found dead in Richmond alley

That headline confused me, I thought the perp was dead for a second! Glad he has been arrested, hopefully they have the right person.

ETA: He definitely has Sanpaku eyes. I always notice that.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Been looking, never saw an obituary for Dawn.

 

[TTF14]

This will be a trial I'll be following. I wonder what the evidence is.

 

[realanastasia]

https://www.wtvr.com/2019/05/29/father-of-woman-murdered-in-richmond-alley-i-miss-her-every-day/amp/