Tony Demond Gill, 46, was shot dead at a convenience store on West Gretna Road in Gretna, Virginia, on the evening of July 27, 2025. First responders from the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Gretna police, and Virginia State Police found Gill deceased at the scene. He worked as a special education teacher and was head coach of the girls basketball team at Franklin County High School.

Authorities arrested 52-year-old James Richard Mattox in connection with the killing. Mattox and Gill were acquainted; some reports say they were friends and distant cousins. The two had reportedly been at a card game earlier that night and stopped at the convenience store, where an argument allegedly escalated and Mattox allegedly shot Gill in the face at point-blank range. Mattox was charged with murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and was held without bond. The motive remains unclear.

Gill’s family and community remember him as a husband, father, mentor, and role model who turned his life around and devoted himself to students and players. Does anyone have information about the card game that night or what led to the argument?