‘I can’t stop thinking about it’: Brunswick family pleads for answers in loved one’s 2016 murder

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The family of a man killed over eight years ago while working as a hotel clerk in Chesterfield County continues to plead for justice as police continue to search for his murderer.

8News spoke exclusively to two sisters of 43-year-old Jerry Vadal Colyer and his father, Jerry Colyer, who now live in Brunswick County. Jerry Vadal’s mother, Edith Colyer — who previously spoke to 8News in 2016 — could not be present as, according to the family, she died just three months after her son’s murder.

All three believe that someone knows something about the murder of their loved one in Sept. 2016.

“I would want to know because right now we don’t know — it could be anybody walking on the street, [or] on social media,” said Ericka Colyer, one of Jerry Vadal’s sisters.

At the time of his death, Jerry Vadal was a front desk receptionist at what was then an Econo Lodge.

According to the Chesterfield County Police Department, at about 10:57 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, officers responded to the lodge for a report of a shooting.

Authorities said the suspect entered the lobby of the hotel, displayed a handgun at Jerry Vadal and demanded money.

Colyer complied with the suspect’s commands but, shortly after, he was fatally shot.

At the time of the incident, police described the suspect — pictured above — as a Black male wearing a red, long-sleeved hooded sweatshirt, a red-brimmed hat, jeans, dark-colored shoes and a dark-colored belt. 8News is told he ran away from the area, heading towards Woods Edge Road, following the shooting.

“I think about it many days and nights, [it brings me] to tears but I can’t stop thinking about it,” said Jerry Vadal’s father. “He was a fine young man — you know, I don’t brag about my son, I tell it like it is — he was good to people, people loved him.”

“Well, he was named after you, right?” 8News reporter Victoria Lucas asked him as he said this.

“You know it!” Jerry said, smiling.

The family told 8News that their memories of Colyer are keeping their spirits high as they wait for justice.

Along with his father and siblings, Jerry Vadal left behind a wife and daughter — the latter of which is about 9 years old now, according to his family.

The Chesterfield County Police Department is asking anyone who may have information on Jerry Vadal’s murder to contact police by phone at 804-748-0660, via the p3Tips mobile app, or by texting Tip699 to 738477 to receive a link to their anonymous tip form.

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