NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, Va. — The Northern Neck community is coming together Wednesday night to honor the life of Northumberland woman Ahrea'L Smith.
An individual close to Smith's family said there will be a candlelight vigil held at the Claraville Little Sue convenience store, located at 8469 Northumberland Highway, on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Candles are encouraged instead of balloons.
Multiple Little Sue convenience stores across the peninsula announced they would be closed Wednesday in remembrance of Smith.
Smith, 28, was reported missing a week ago after her car was found running and empty at the Claraville Little Sue convenience store in Heathsville, where she worked as a clerk.
Three days later, 50-year-old Tyrone N. Samuel was arrested and charged with Smith's abduction, according to Northumberland County Sheriff Johnny Beauchamp.
After an extensive search, detectives found a body on Tuesday that matched Smith's description. The Medical Examiner's Office will perform an autopsy.
Beauchamp asked the public to keep Ahrea'L's family in their prayers.
Since the announcement of Smith's disappearance, the community within and surrounding Northumberland County has come together to support Smith's family and friends as they searched for her. Now, they want something permanent to honor her life.
Another individual close with the family has created an online petition to gain support for something they're hoping to call "Ahrey's Law" — which would create an ordinance for stores to have more than one person opening and closing a business.
The goal would be to keep store employees safe as they begin or end their shifts.
"So many of these stores have only one person opening and closing and 9 out of 10 times its a female. This could have been your daughter, your sister, your aunt, your mother, your cousin," said the petition. "We want to ensure that from this day forward no one is ever alone closing or opening a store again. We need to as a community have it so where these businesses hold some accountability in situations like this."
In just a few days, the petition has gained nearly 5,000 signatures.
When asked about the petition, Beauchamp said,"Anything to improve safety, I'm about. That's my job."
"At minimum, you know, we encourage business owners, especially stores that are open at night, late at night... to review a safety plan or have a safety plan for employees," Beauchamp added.
