HENRY COUNTY, VA – Authorities say a man fatally shot his wife and an acquaintance who came to check on her, then took off with his young children and two firearms before being apprehended during a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call around 1 p.m. about a shooting on the 200 block of Meeks Road. Deputies arrived to find 68-year-old William Leroy Morey lying dead outside the residence, having sustained several gunshot wounds.

While searching the premises, deputies discovered the body of 22-year-old Mandy Michelle Coleman inside the home. Her death appeared to result from a single gunshot wound. Investigators determined that Morey had arrived at the residence to look in on Coleman’s wellbeing before he was shot.

The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Joshua Corbett Coleman, was not present when authorities arrived. Concern heightened when deputies realized that Coleman’s two small children, ages 10 months and 2 years, were missing from the home as well.

Law enforcement quickly initiated a search for both the children and Joshua Coleman, enlisting the help of additional agencies, including the Virginia State Police. The coordinated effort culminated in a traffic stop less than two hours after the initial emergency call.

During the stop, officers found Joshua Coleman behind the wheel, armed with both a handgun and an AR-15 rifle. The two children, also inside the vehicle, were found unharmed. Coleman was taken into custody without resistance and transported to the Henry County Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.

According to investigators, Coleman confessed to killing his wife following a domestic dispute in which he accused her of infidelity. He stated that after fatally shooting her, he placed his children in his car and sought out Morey, ultimately encountering him at the Meeks Road residence and shooting him as well.

Authorities said Morey had no familial connection to either the suspect or the victim, and his precise relationship to the pair remains unclear. Officials underscored the tragic impact of the incident on both families and the broader community.

The alert was raised when a neighbor heard gunfire and observed two vehicles arriving at the property, prompting a call to 911. Emergency responders arrived soon after to begin their investigation.

Joshua Coleman faces a range of charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, one count of shooting from an occupied vehicle, and two counts of child abuse and neglect. His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Henry County is situated near the Virginia-North Carolina border, and the sheriff’s office continues to investigate circumstances surrounding the incident. The authorities emphasized relief that the children were recovered safely and remain in protective custody as the legal process moves forward.