HOPEWELL, Va. -- More than three years after her shooting death, a Hopewell man was charged with Richmond firefighter Ashley Berry's murder.
Berry, 33, was shot and killed on Thanksgiving night 2019 in front of a home along the Sunnyside Avenue of Hopewell.
Berry, a lieutenant with the Richmond Fire Department, was leaving the home with one of her children after celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family. She was shielding her child with her body when she was shot, according to witnesses.
Police said Berry was not the intended target.
Earlier this month, a grand jury indicted 30-year-old Darrell Donnell Taylor, Jr., of Hopewell, for Berry's murder.
"It's definitely, kind of, satisfying that the family can get closure, because we've been waiting so long for — but, it's kind of like a lose-lose situation," said Chenice Brown, a friend of Berry, who spoke to CBS 6 about the arrest alongside Berry's adult daughter, plus Berry's boyfriend and father of the child she was shielding. "While we lost Ashley, these family's are also losing their loved ones and I just don't think this is, like, a win-win situation. Because even though justice is served through the judicial system, we'll never get Ashley back."
Brown said Berry did not know Taylor. She added while they never gave up hope for an arrest, it was difficult to wait this long.
"Things will never be the same. Ashley was like the strong glue that kept her immediate family together and it just was like a constant blow to them daily," said Brown. "We all believe in God. And so, like, your faith is what gives you hope. You hoping it's something that, you know, God is going to come through on. And I think that's the thing that her parents and her sister and her children, they all stood on it."
Brown said the family was thankful for the work of police and the Commonwealth's Attorney to get the indictment against Taylor.
For their part, police said they did not give up on the case.
"This tragic incident occurred almost four years ago and yet the officers and detectives working this investigation never gave up hope," Interim Hopewell Police Chief Greg Taylor said in a statement. "This arrest serves as a reminder of our pledge to doing everything in our power to solve crime within our city. We will never stop seeking justice for our victims."
Police added that Taylor was an early suspect in the case.
"Over the years, we conducted multiple interviews, we went back and looked at some evidence of the case," said Hopewell Police Lt. Jacquita Allen. "We wanted to make sure that we can successfully prosecute the case before we proceed with charges."
When asked what information or evidence allowed them to finally seek charges, police said they could not comment on that as it was an ongoing investigation.
However, Hopewell Police did apply for search warrants in Richmond Circuit Court in June of this year seeking access to Taylor's cellphone records.
In the affidavit for the warrants, police said several tips implicated Taylor as a suspect in the case.
It added that the reason for the drive-by shooting was a "beef" between two other people because one of them had testified against the other in a court case.
Brown said regardless of the reason, violence is not the answer.
"It's not worth it for the person that committed the violence and the pain that you went picked on families. It's just, it's unnecessary."
The family added the then five-year-old son she died shielding (he is now nine) is aware of what happened to his mother and has support from a large community as he grows.
"Her son is now an advocate for his mother. He is so open about what happened, and details about what happened and how his mother gave her life," said Brown.
"He has a enormous support system from the school system, church, family, even my coworkers," said Berry's boyfriend and the boy's father, Carlos Samuels, Sr., who is also a Richmond firefighter. "And we keep him active. Whatever he wants to do — whether it's soccer, swimming, golfing, whatever he wants to do, we keep him busy...He's maintaining his grades. And he's -- she would be proud of him. She'll be proud of him. I try to -- I try to the best I can."
Taylor is also charged with the use of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, conspiracy to commit murder, and shooting into an occupied building.
Taylor was charged while in custody at Lawrenceville Correctional Center on other, unrelated charges. He currently serving time and could be released as early as 2027 in that case.
Brown said as the court case against Taylor begins, Berry's loved ones will focus on carrying on her legacy.
"We continue to show love to the community, because that's what she did. We continue to be a support system for everybody that's helping raise her kids and everybody has suffered this loss," said Brown. "Ashley actually created a women's group called 'Ladies of Diversity' and that group was created with intention to share love and support to women. We'll continue to work in that way."
Anyone with information was asked to call Hopewell Police at 804-541- 2284 or Hopewell Prince George Crime Solvers at 804-541-2202.
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