Four suspects accused of killing a Virginia teenager are now facing charges in a second homicide after investigators identified a woman whose remains had been a mystery for over three months. The woman, 56-year-old Helen Marie Pullen Banks, was identified through extensive DNA analysis completed in July, after her remains were discovered on private property in Caroline County in March. The identification has revealed what authorities say were two connected, premeditated killings. The suspects, Rashad Antonio Mayfield, 21, Devonti Gregory Pettaway, 19, Jaden Lamont Phillips, 20, and Kennady Jade Lambert, 18, have each been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and use of a firearm in the commission of murder in Banks' death.
The four suspects were already being held without bond after being charged with murder in the death of 18-year-old Jayden McComber. Investigators say they suspected early in the case that the two homicide investigations were linked. McComber disappeared the same day Banks' remains were discovered, and his vehicle was recovered the following day in Virginia Beach. The vehicle was thoroughly processed and produced valuable investigative leads that helped investigators locate McComber's remains and identify the suspects.
During an investigation, authorities recovered personal belongings thought to have been in McComber's possession when he disappeared. A handgun was also seized from one of the suspects, although it is unclear if the firearm has been linked to either homicide. The suspects were arrested during a simultaneous operation, and the sheriff's office has described the case as a "complex and difficult investigation". Ballistic testing has produced forensic evidence linking the two murders, and investigators say both Banks and McComber knew at least one of the suspects before they were killed.
Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive or said whether Banks and McComber knew one another. The sheriff's office has alleged that those responsible took measures to conceal Banks' identity, but the details of these measures have not been publicly disclosed. Banks' identity was confirmed in July, and her family was notified shortly after. The investigation has involved multiple agencies, and while authorities are not searching for any additional suspects, the case remains active.
Banks' family has remembered her as a loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family has established a fund to help cover memorial expenses, and they have described her as "so much more than the circumstances surrounding her passing". Similarly, McComber's family has remembered him as a deeply loved individual with a big heart, and they have described the week-long search for him as "a nightmare no family should ever have to live through".
The investigation into the deaths of Banks and McComber is ongoing, with authorities continuing to work to uncover the truth behind the two connected homicides. The sheriff's office has praised the "relentless work" that led authorities to the four suspects, and they hope that the identification of Banks and the charges against the suspects will provide some measure of answers for the victims' loved ones.
