NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, Va. -- The reward has been raised for any information that helps to find missing Northumberland woman Ahreal Smith after a suspect was arrested in connection to her disappearance.
The reward now sits at $9,400.
Smith disappeared last week while she was closing up at the convenience store in Heathsville where she worked. Surveillance video showed Smith locking up the store and taking a trash bag around the back. She then never reappeared.
The family of Ahreal said that they made large search efforts at the end of last week to try and find her.
Over the weekend, deputies located and arrested 50-year-old Tyrone Samuel and charged him with Smith's abduction. Samuel has a long history of crimes and convictions dating back to the late '90s, including drug charges, abduction, child neglect and forcible sodomy.
However, they are still looking for Ahreal.
Ahreal's sister said that she doesn't know the man who was arrested and said that her sister never mentioned him. She is now pleading with anyone who may know anything, asking them to call the police.
"For me, I can speak for the whole family. I mean, this is just like a living nightmare. Like, I don't know what I'm coming to, all the days seem the same like we're at day five that she's been missing. It's cold. I don't know where she could be. He's not talking, police and FBI working and like endlessly, on day and night," Lydia Smith, Ahreal's sister, said.
She said that she still believes her sister is alive.
The sheriff said that when Smith was last seen, she was wearing a black Nike hoodie, blue jeans and brown Ugg boots.
Anyone with information is asked to call (804) 580-5221.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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