JAMES CITY Co., Va. (WAVY) — Police said a man is dead and a woman is hurt after an assault at a home in James City County.
Just after 2 p.m. Friday, police said they were called to a home at 9433 Diascund Reservoir Road. When they arrived, first responders said they found a woman outside who was hurt and a man inside the home who was unresponsive. He was rushed to a hospital where detectives said he later died.
According to the criminal complaint, “officers arrived on scene and entered into the house to find Jose Medellin unconscious and not breathing. … José was ultimately pronounced deceased by James City County Fire personnel.”
As the case progressed throughout the day, detectives said they developed leads connecting the assault to a robbery from the night before. As a result, two people were taken into custody. Detectives said Harley James McClure Hutchens, 29, and Amber Nicole Johnson, 28, both of James City County, were subsequently charged in connection with both cases.
Hutchens has been charged with eight crimes, including robbery, strangulation, two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, preventing the calling of 911, destruction of property, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and breaking and entering into a dwelling.
Police are still investigating this as a death investigation. The medical examiner has yet to determine a cause of death.
Johnson has been charged with four felonies, including robbery by force, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.
Both are being held in the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail.
Medellin’s cousin, Brandon Griffin, was told this by Jose after he escaped the attack.
“Thursday night, they went down there grabbed hold of him, kicked him, punched him kicked him, held him down, and stole his money,” according to the criminal complaint. “They also took his cell phone, so he could not call anybody. He does not speak English well, and he was freaked out. They gave him his cell phone back and he ran over here and told me to call the cops.”
Medellin told police he had been living in the residence where the attack took place for the last 10 years with his longtime girlfriend who had recently passed away, and that girlfriend was Harley Hutchens’ mother.
“José ran here because he was dating my aunt for 10 years when she died recently,” Griffin said, according to the criminal complaint. “He lost everything. They [Hutchens and Johnson] got into it because they wanted José off the property so they could get the house … after Hutchins’ mother died. … That was it for José.”
According to the criminal complaint, Friday, Amber Johnson calls police and claims Jose beat her in the face, but when police show up, they find Jose unconscious and not breathing.
Police state that “a witness says Hutchens was seen on top of Jose for approximately seven minutes and he ultimately stopped moving and talking according to the witness.”
After 10 On Your Side showed up at the property to find out what happened to Medellin, three women appeared and one of them ordered us not to come on property. A short time later the police showed up and saw that 10 on Your Side was on a public street.
The investigation is still ongoing. Detectives ask that if you know anything, to give them a call at 757-259-5148.
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