That’s my understanding as well. According to the
Virginia manual about J&D courts, adults charged with felonies in J&D court will have their case transferred to circuit court after the preliminary hearing or the case will be dismissed. MOO but it seems to me like LE is trying to keep the details of the case from the public as long as possible while they work up murder charges (the accused must have a preliminary hearing date scheduled
no later than 90 days from their arrest, so it might be quite a while before we learn anything).