UPDATED: Body found in Virginia believed to be missing North Carolina man, suspect charged

Published 5:39 pm Thursday, September 17, 2020

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A Virginia man has been charged with murder after authorities in southside Virginia found the body of a North Carolina man who went missing over the weekend after he tried to sell his Range Rover.

Police in Raleigh, North Carolina say they are investigating the disappearance of William Anderson “Andy” Banks, 39, of Raleigh, as a homicide. On Thursday news outlets reported that Justin Fernando Merritt of Danville, Virginia was charged with Banks’ murder.

Merritt, who had arranged to buy Banks’ SUV, had already been arrested and charged with crimes related to the theft of the vehicle as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

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On Thursday, Raleigh Police said they believe Banks’ body was recovered by the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. The body will be sent to the medical examiner in Roanoke for autopsy and identification.

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