Familial Murder Rocks Falmouth Subdivision

A normally quiet Falmouth neighborhood became the scene of intense police activity on Tuesday evening as Stafford County Sheriff's detectives conducted an investigation into the murder of Brenda Dye, who was 62. Within hours, police arrested a 17-year-old girl, charging her with juvenile first-degree murder for the death of Dye. A family member who arrived at the house yesterday afternoon said that the suspect is relative of Dye. 

Dye was discovered by her husband and son as they were returning home from work. She was found unresponsive, not breathing and suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. She was declared dead at the scene.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of Brenda Dye,” said Sheriff Charles Jett in a press release. “We are truly saddened by this senseless loss of life.”

Bill Kennedy, public information officer for the Stafford County Sheriff's Office described the murder as an "isolated incident." He did not know if police had previously responded to the residence for any reason. Kennedy also declined to specify what relation the suspect had to the victim, citing state law prohibiting the disclosure of underage criminal suspects. 

The investigators quickly zeroed in on the 17-year-old suspect, apprehending her in the early morning hours of July 6. Citing the ongoing investigation, Kennedy was unable to disclose what led police to focus on the underage suspect.

By yesterday afternoon, the scene from the street had almost returned to normal. The only evidence of a murder investigation was a lone stretched shard of yellow police tape lying on the lawn of the Dye residence near the street.

"I grew up here, and this just blows my mind," said Yvette Ortiz, a former neighbor who grew up across the street from the Dye residence. She was unaware of any previous disturbances at the residence on 700 Perry Drive in the Grafton Village subdivision.