SUFFOLK, Va. – After more than seven months of silence, answers have finally come for the family of Gerard Anthony Harvell.
The 48-year-old Henrico County man who vanished on April 29, 2025, was found dead in Suffolk, and on Tuesday two men were indicted for his murder.
Henrico Police issued a missing-person alert for Harvell on May 8 after he hadn’t been heard from in over a week. What began as a search quickly turned into a cross-jurisdictional homicide investigation when evidence showed Harvell had traveled to Suffolk the day he disappeared.
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On December 2, Suffolk Police announced that Harvell had been killed on or around April 29 in the 6900 block of Brentwood Road.
After an exhaustive seven-month probe involving dozens of search warrants, hundreds of hours of interviews, cellphone forensics, and multi-state cooperation, detectives secured indictments against:
Levar Antonio Bradsaw, Jr., 41, of Franklin
William Andre Lawrence, 47, of Suffolk
Both men are charged with first-degree murder and related offenses and are being held without bond.
“This case stretched across cities, counties, and even state lines, but our detectives never gave up,” said Suffolk Chief of Police James “Danny” Buie. “These indictments are because of their relentless work and the partnership of every agency involved.
Gerard Harvell and his family deserved nothing less.”
The investigation drew on resources from the FBI, ATF, Virginia State Police, Henrico Police, multiple sheriff’s offices, and forensic labs in Florida. Suffolk Police credited the family’s patience and cooperation as critical to building the case.
Harvell, a devoted father known for his quiet humor and love of classic cars, had no known enemies, making the violent end to his life all the more shocking to those who loved him.
“Seven months felt like seven years,” his sister told reporters outside Western Tidewater Regional Jail. “We just wanted him home. Now we want justice.”
Prosecutors say more details will emerge as the case moves toward trial, but for now the family is grateful the long wait for accountability is over.
Gerard Anthony Harvell leaves behind three children and a Richmond-area community that never stopped sharing his photo and praying for answers.
Rest in peace, Gerard. Your fight is now in the hands of the courts. 🖤