ROANOKE, Va. — A case that began as a malicious wounding in 2025 has now been upgraded to a homicide investigation after the victim died nearly a year later.
According to the Roanoke Police Department, officers were first called to Salem Turnpike NW in April 2025 for a reported assault.
When they arrived, they found an elderly man who had reportedly been struck with a glass bottle. Witnesses told police they saw a group of teenagers around the man, who ran from the scene after he fell.
At the time, the victim’s injuries were believed to be non-life-threatening, and he was transported to the hospital conscious and breathing.
However, police say his condition later worsened, and he died on March 11, 2026 — nearly a year after the incident.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has now ruled his death a homicide, determining it was directly caused by the injuries from the 2025 assault.
Investigators identified the suspect as 41-year-old Justin Damar Garcia-Bailey, who was arrested on May 9, 2026.
The investigation remains ongoing.
👀 Cases like this don’t happen often — where injuries initially seem minor but later turn fatal. What are your thoughts on how cases like this are handled over time?
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