Alan Forehand

Do you know who murdered Alan Forehand?
Alan Lawrence Forehand, a 30-year-old White male from North Carolina, spent his days working as a mechanic at Tower Toyota in Portsmouth, Virginia. But on the evening of Monday, December 19, 1977, his life came to a brutal and mysterious end along a desolate stretch of road in Chesapeake, Virginia. Decades later, the question of who killed Alan Forehand and why remains unanswered, leaving a void in the lives of those who knew him and a lingering puzzle for investigators.

That evening, around 7:15 p.m., an officer with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board was patrolling along Route 17 in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake when he spotted a Toyota pickup truck. The truck was backed in on the bank of the Dismal Swamp Canal, a position that suggested the driver was there to meet someone. When the officer went to investigate the unattended vehicle, he made a grim discovery. In the murky, water-filled ditch below, he found a body, later identified as Alan Forehand. He had just completed a full day's work before driving to this fateful, and fatal, appointment.

The scene was one of extreme violence. An investigation by the Chesapeake Police Department revealed that Alan had been shot, beaten, and strangled. There was also evidence to suggest he may have been drowned in the canal. Near his truck, police found a bloody hammer, a stark indicator of the viciousness of the attack. Detectives believe the murder happened within a very narrow window of time. Another officer had driven down that same road just 30 minutes before the truck was found and had seen nothing out of the ordinary, suggesting the entire deadly encounter took place in less than half an hour.

The investigation into Alan’s murder was extensive, but it was hampered from the start by a lack of leads. Who was Alan supposed to meet on that remote canal bank? Was it a deal gone wrong, a personal dispute, or a random act of violence? These questions yielded no immediate answers. Over the years, the case grew cold. Detectives have revisited the evidence, but the passage of time has created significant obstacles. Many people who may have had crucial information—potential witnesses who drove that road, or even the person Alan was planning to meet—have since passed away. Police have also noted that Alan's immediate family members are now deceased, making it difficult to piece together a complete picture of his life and potential conflicts.

For more than four decades, the case remained dormant in the public eye, a file in the Chesapeake Police Department's cold case unit. However, in early 2026, the case was unexpectedly mentioned during a public-comment period at a Chesapeake City Council meeting. A local man, Tommy Hart, made public allegations against a police supervisor, accusing him of being involved in Alan Forehand's murder and of mishandling evidence. The city council took no immediate action in response to the allegations, but the comments brought a flicker of new attention to a very old crime.

As of November 2026, Alan Forehand's murder remains unsolved. No suspects have ever been publicly named, and no arrests have ever been made. The Chesapeake Police Department continues to seek answers and urges anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Stories passed down through generations, a detail someone remembers from that night, or a confession heard long ago could be the key to finally solving this case.

The Chesapeake Crime Line is offering a $5,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Chesapeake Police Department's Cold Case Section at [email protected] or call the Chesapeake Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887. Tips can be submitted anonymously.