SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. -- A woman accused of killing her three elderly roommates inside their Spotsylvania County home may have shaved her head to "evade detection," deputies said Thursday afternoon.
Twenty-three-year-old Alyssa Jane Venable, who was last arrested on May 16 on simple assault charges at a McDonald's parking lot on Patriot’s Highway, is now wanted for three counts of murder,according to deputies with the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office.
When deputies were called to the 10500 block of White Street Court for a welfare check Tuesday at 10 p.m., investigators found two men and a woman dead from upper body trauma.
"After further investigation and evidence collection, it was discovered that a roommate had committed this heinous crime," officials wrote.
The victims were later identified as 77-year-old Robert John McGuire, 60-year-old Gregory Scott Powell and 65-year-old Carol Anne Reese.
Venable is wanted on three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
For people living off Benchmark Road in eastern Spotsylvania County, news of the triple murder hit too close to home in their peaceful community.
“I was like you've got to be kidding me,” said Gary Boxley, who lives in the area. He says he learned of the murders just minutes after arriving home from his work shift.
"I was like, 'Dude what is all this about?'” Boxley said. “He said something about a triple murder near Benchmark in the 1500 block and I live in the 1400 block. Somebody was shot and on the run."
Crime Insider sources tell CBS 6’s Jon Burkett that federal authorities are now involved in the search for Venable.
"I'm blown away and when I got the text message, it really was just a picture. To me, looks are deceiving," Boxley said. "I don't know the details. I just know what I read. I don't think it's going to change anything as far as I'm not putting up a for-sale sign because of this incident. I'm fully aware this stuff happens everywhere and nobody is immune to it."
Venable is considered armed and dangerous, according to investigators.
Anyone with information about Venable's whereabouts is urged to call the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office at 540-582-5822, 800-928-5822 or use P3 Tips.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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