Two Arrested in Murder Case from 2019

FRANKLIN COUNTY – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has made two arrests in the a homicide case from October 2019 when a body was found off of Truman Hill Road.

Patrick Antoine Davis, 34 years old of Danville, was arrested in Danville, Virginia on April 28th, 2021 and has been charged with Second Degree Murder. He is being held without bond. Mario Rayshawn Day, 26 years old of Roanoke, was arrested on April 29th, 2021 in Marietta, Georgia. Upon his extradition back to Virginia, he will be served with an outstanding warrant for Second Degree Murder.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the United States Marshal service and the Virginia State Police for their assistance in locating and apprehending these individuals for their outstanding.

Original press releases:

ORIGINAL RELEASE: On October 24, 2019 at approximately 1:30 PM, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications center received a 9-1-1 call in reference to a body found off the side of the road in the 7900 block of Truman Hill Rd. Investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office are on scene investigating. There is no indication that the public is in any danger. It is very early in the investigation and the cause of death has not been determined. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. 

Update 10/28/2019: The body that was found near Jubal Early Hwy. in Franklin County on 10/24/19 has been identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as 30-year-old Travis Wayne Pannell. Mr. Pannell is from Halifax, VA and was reported missing in Roanoke, VA on October 8, 2019. Pannell was last seen in Roanoke on October 4, 2019. The Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the cause of death to be homicide and the manner of death to be gunshot wounds. Based on the preliminary investigation, the Sheriff’s Office does not believe that the residents in and around where the body was located are in any danger. This is an ongoing investigation and additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Anyone with information related to the homicide of Travis Pannell is encouraged to contact Sgt. Nolen at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 540-483-6662.