On May 24, 2024, at about 2:30 PM, officers responded to a report of a man shot in the parking lot of the Speedway on East Main Street in Pulaski, Virginia. They found 40-year-old Howard Laron Love, a Black male, with a single gunshot wound. He was taken to LewisGale Hospital Pulaski in critical condition and died of his injuries the next day.

Investigators reported the shooter fled the scene. On June 14, 2024, authorities arrested Brandon Lee Mattox in Columbus, Ohio, and charged him with second-degree murder; he was held at the Fairfield County Jail pending further proceedings. Police have not publicly disclosed a motive or described any relationship between Love and Mattox, and the investigation remains active.

If anyone knew Howard Laron Love or has information about his movements that afternoon, contact the Pulaski Police Department.