An 81-year-old man, John Slaw of Montpelier, was found unconscious and later pronounced dead in the early evening of May 2, 2022, in the parking lot of the Montpelier Shoppes on the 16000 block of Mountain Road in Hanover County, Virginia. Deputies were dispatched around 6:09 p.m.; Slaw was found next to a vehicle with what appeared to be a gunshot wound and a firearm located beside him. First responders performed life-saving measures but he was declared dead at the scene.

The Medical Examiner’s Office was to determine the official cause of death. The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office said it was not actively seeking suspects while the investigation into the circumstances remained ongoing. If anyone was in the area that evening or has information about movements at the Montpelier Shoppes around 6:00–6:30 p.m., please come forward.