FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. (rbs news now)— The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has announced a breakthrough in a double homicide case that has remained unsolved for over a decade.

On October 6, 2013, the body of 53-year-old Vicky Purdy was discovered in a burned vehicle in the 800 block of Philpott Road in Franklin County, near the Henry County line.

According to authorities, Purdy had been reported missing three days earlier, and an autopsy later revealed that she had died from a gunshot wound to the head, with her death ruled a homicide.

On December 5, 2013, 54-year-old Ricky Dodson’s body was found in a wooded area on Johnson Hill Road, about a mile from the site where Purdy’s body was discovered.

Investigators also ruled Dodson’s death a homicide.

After eleven years, an arrest in connection with these murders was made.

On October 4, 43-year-old Daniel Elwood Duncan, of North Carolina, was taken into custody.

Duncan was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of use or display of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

According to the sheriff’s office, Duncan, Dodson’s nephew, has been a person of interest since the investigation began.

The sheriff’s office said in a statement that this arrest is the culmination of relentless work by their investigations division and the collective efforts of those who never gave up on this case.

“We hope that this development brings a measure of closure and peace to the victim’s families, who have endured an unimaginable loss for so long. While we understand that no arrest can undo the pain and heartache experienced by the families of the victims, we are hopeful that this progress in the case will provide a sense of justice and resolution. The Office of the Sheriff would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the families for their patience and trust throughout this long investigation,” the sheriff’s office said added.

Duncan is currently being held in North Carolina, pending extradition to Franklin County.

The case remains ongoing as legal proceedings move forward.

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