Arrests made in Franklin homicide

FRANKLIN, Va. (WAVY) - Two arrests have been made and Franklin Police are searching for a third suspect in connection to a homicide that occurred last week.

According to Lt. T. W. Whitt with the Franklin Police Department, officers responded to Pearl Street around 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8 for a report of shots fired. They found 30-year-old Eric Dewayne Smith suffering from a gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Sol Damacus Burke, aka Dukey, was identified as a suspect in the shooting. He remains on the run at this time and is described as a 25-year-old black male standing 6’4” and weighing 230 pounds. He has a tattoo of “Dukey” on his right forearm and bicep.

After further investigation, officers arrested a 17-year-old male from Emporia on charges of first degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, discharging a firearm in public resulting in injury or death and three counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. He has been remanded to Chesapeake Juvenile Services.

A third suspect, 29-year-old Rowan D. Bluff, of Franklin was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and accessory after the fact of murder. Additional charges are pending at this time and he is incarcerated at Western Tidewater Regional Jail.

Whitt said Burke’s last known address was in the 1200 block of Blythewood Lane in Suffolk and may be driving a 2004 red Dodge Durango with a Virginia tag of XDL-9247.

Burke is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Franklin Police Department at 757-562-8575, Det. Corporal J. Butts at 757-562-2849 or the Franklin Crime Solvers at 757-562-8599.