VA Attorney General’s Office takes over Wallens Ridge prisoner death investigation

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has requested the Virginia Attorney General’s Office investigate the 2025 homicide of a Wallens Ridge State Prison inmate. Aubrey McKay died on June 4, 2025, while serving a sentence at the Big Stone Gap facility. The Virginia Department of Corrections confirmed his death is being investigated as a homicide and said at least one officer was either reprimanded or placed on leave. The Virginia medical examiner’s office listed McKay’s cause of death as multifactorial asphyxia. Virginia State Police also confirmed it is investigating the case. The Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s has confirmed it will no longer be involved in the case after Wise County said earlier that it would not oversee the case due to the nature of the investigation