Rocky Mount, VA — A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded Friday morning after authorities discovered two individuals deceased inside a vehicle near the 1400 block of Patti Road. At approximately 9:00 a.m. on December 5, 2025, the Office of the Sheriff responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive person in a red Honda SUV. When deputies arrived, they found a devastating scene: two victims, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.

The deceased have been identified as 55-year-old James Randolph Smith and 41-year-old Tina Marie (Brown) Spencer, both residents of Rocky Mount. According to investigators, the victims were known to one another, and the case is being treated as a suspected murder-suicide.

Authorities say the investigation is still active and will remain so until the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke completes its review and releases its findings. No additional details have been made public as officials work to piece together what led to this tragic event.

This devastating loss has left families and the Rocky Mount community reeling. As loved ones try to cope with the shock and sorrow, officials extended their deepest condolences to all affected. “We recognize that this is an especially difficult time of year to experience such loss,” the Sheriff’s Office noted, urging the community to keep the grieving families in their thoughts during this painful time.

The investigation continues.