YORKTOWN, Va. — Deputies in York County said they have arrested two women and one man after the body of a Richmond woman was found alongside a road over the weekend.
24-year-old Jamica Danielle Langley of Richmond, 18-year-old Acacia Jackson of Norfolk, and 24-year-old Hezekiah Janile Carney of Norfolk were all arrested in Portsmouth, the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday.
YPSO said the suspects were arrested in the 400 block of Water Street in Portsmouth on Wednesday. All three are members of a gang affiliated with the Mad Stone Bloods out of Norfolk, according to York-Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery.
He said the victim, 25-year-old Ty'osha Mitchell was "affiliated" with them, but at this time they are not saying she was a member of that gang, only that they all knew each other.
"We know that she had a relationship with these people and that they’re all gang-related. What her actual involvement was, we’re still investigating," the sheriff said.
Deputies said on the morning of May 6, a jogger came upon Mitchell's body lying on the side of Old Williamsburg Road, in the area between Riverwalk Townes townhouses and the Colonial Parkway entrance.
Sheriff Montgomery said they believe the three suspects arrested took Mitchell from her Richmond home, brought her to the woods off Old Williamsburg Road and fired at least 14 shots, hitting her eight times.
"It’s possible, based on the investigation done by our people, that she may have initially left in the car with them of her own free will, but we do have some evidence that she may have been assaulted by this same group earlier in the evening," he said. "The motive at this point seems to be gang-related."
Montgomery said some of the evidence they recovered at Mitchell's apartment was key to making these arrests. He added the investigation is ongoing and there could be additional charges.
"Investigators are working to determine what the issue was that caused this altercation at her apartment and then ultimately her death."
Mitchell's family has set up a GoFundMe page to support funeral services.
13News Now spoke to her mother, Patricia Troy, earlier this week. She said she had just seen her daughter on Easter.
"We had an awesome time. We had an Easter egg hunt, we laughed, we cooked," said Troy. "No signs. Not a sign in the world that anything like this would come about."
She told 13News Now the family was trying to understand what happened.
"All I keep thinking is that I wish I could've been there with her to protect her. That's all I could think about."
Troy told 13News Now on Wednesday that she is doing okay and is relieved the people deputies say killed her daughter have been caught.
Langley, Jackson and Carney are all being held at the Portsmouth City Jail. The sheriff said they will all be transferred to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in the next few days.
Mitchell's murder remains under investigation. If you have any information that may help investigators, you're asked to call the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office tipline at 757-890-4999, the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or submit a tip online through the P3 tips app. You can remain anonymous.