A routine check-in on a loved one turned into a heartbreaking discovery when a man arrived at his father’s home — only to find his dad deceased and slumped against the front door.
Even more shocking: a stranger was inside the house, calmly claiming the man had been dead since the night before and casually returning to another room as if nothing had happened.
Lawrence County Deputies, Chesapeake Police and medics responded to the home, where they found the father unresponsive and cold to the touch. First responders confirmed the man had passed away and began working to piece together what happened in the hours before his death.
According to the man found inside the residence, the victim had picked him up the night before to help with work at the property. After setting up a generator, the two had dinner — spaghetti — and the homeowner “seemed fine” around 11 p.m. The visitor says he later went to sleep in the bathroom and didn’t realize anything was wrong until someone began banging on the door in the early morning. It turned out to be the victim’s son, who had just made the horrifying discovery.
The man inside the home said he tried repeatedly to call 911 but couldn’t get a signal due to the remote location. He eventually reached emergency services and remained at the scene until law enforcement arrived.
Deputies found two bottles of medication and a small plastic package containing a white, powdery substance, leading investigators to suspect a possible drug overdose. The Lawrence County Coroner’s Office, Drug Task Force, and other investigators responded. The body has been sent for autopsy and toxicology testing.
⚠️ A Growing Crisis: What You Need to Know
While the final cause of death hasn’t been confirmed, this tragic scene points to a growing concern in Lawrence County and beyond — accidental overdoses, especially involving prescription or illicit drugs.
If you suspect someone may be using or overdosing:
- Call 911 immediately.
- If they’re unresponsive but breathing, stay with them and place them on their side.
- If trained and available, administer Narcan (naloxone), an emergency overdose reversal drug.
Signs of a potential overdose include:
- Unresponsiveness
- Shallow or stopped breathing
- Blue lips or fingertips
- Gurgling or choking noises
The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone struggling with substance use to reach out for help. Resources and recovery programs are available — no judgment, just support.
A man lost his life. A son lost his father. And a community is left asking if it could have been prevented.
