Caroline County authorities are awaiting information from the state medical examiner's office that they hope will shed light on two bodies found inside the trunk of a Lexus on Thursday night.
The bodies of two men were found in a dark Lexus parked in a private driveway on Penola Road about 7 p.m. Thursday, said Caroline Sheriff Tony Lippa.
A woman called 911 after seeing the car in her driveway. Penola Road is off State Route 207 between Carmel Church and Bowling Green.
Lippa said there was blood in the trunk, but it's unclear how the men died. He also said there were no gunshot wounds in either body. It's also unclear if the apparent killing occurred in Caroline or elsewhere. Lippa said he hopes state medical examiners can help determine that. The identities of the men have not been released. Lippa said one of the men has been identified but the next of kin haven't been notified.
Lippa said the medical examiner's office is expected to contact his office today with more information.
There was no sign of forced entry to the car or nearby home, Lippa said. The Lexus had Virginia plates and is registered in the Richmond area.
The Virginia State Police, Hanover County Sheriff's Office and Richmond Police Department have helped with the investigation. Helicopters from Northern Virginia were used to search the area Thursday night for suspects. The Lexus was seized as part of the investigation.
Investigators are looking into the possibility that the men died elsewhere and were then brought to Caroline. If detectives can determine that they died outside Caroline, it's possible that the case would be transferred.
Anybody with any information on the killings is asked to call the Caroline Sheriff's Office at 804/633-5400 or 804/633-1133.
The killings have reminded some of a May 1998 murder in Caroline in which 40-year-old Cheddi Hector's decomposed body was found along Penola Road six weeks after he was last seen. He had been shot four times.
Two Richmond men, cousins Daniel Smith and Aubrey D. Jefferson, were both convicted of murder in Caroline jury trials. Authorities said the Hector murder was a drug-related dispute.
Bill Freehling: 540/374-5424