PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Police are investigating after a homicide victim was found tied up and nude on the front porch of a home in Petersburg on Thursday morning.
According to police, a neighbor who lived across the street observed the victim, who has been identified as 22-year-old Tahjmere Terrell Hopkins of McKenzie Street, on the front porch of a home on St. Matthew Street.
When officers arrived, they found the victim tied up, nude and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
8News spoke with a man that lives across the street, who detailed the terrifying ordeal.
“How would you feel if that was across the street from you. You didn’t see nothing, you only heard something and wasn’t sure,” said Lee Tucker, the Petersburg resident
Gunshots rang out near Tucker’s home on Wednesday night. He checked outside but didn’t see anything.
“You know, I’m upset because somebody’s in my yard, they have to be with how close those gunshots are,” said Tucker.
What Tucker saw the next day was “extremely scary.”
A crowd of people was outside the house on Saint Matthew Street.
“The man said, my girl said is that man laying on the porch okay? And I was like ain’t no man supposed to be over there,” said Tucker.
He went to see what was on the porch.
“It could be a torn sheet or a towel or something. I didn’t get that close, but I could see he got something around his neck and both of his hands are bound and attached to whatever it is around his neck,” Tucker explained to 8News.
Tucker called 911 after finding Hopkins’ body.
Investigators are now trying to establish a timeline from when the victim was last seen at his residence across town.
Evidence suggests the victim was shot on St. Matthew Street where he was found.
As for Tucker, he’s on watch, making sure his block is safe.
“Course I be watching. It’s where I live,” Tucker said.