Hanover investigator receives award after he helped local veterans get proper burials

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — An investigator with the Hanover County Sheriff's Office has helped ensure more than a dozen local veterans were not forgotten. Now, his efforts are receiving recognition just in time for America's 250th birthday.

Nonprofit organization Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) on Thursday, March 12, presented Hanover investigator Jamie Baynes with the Ellen Hardin Walworth Medal for Patriotism at the Historic Hanover Courthouse for his efforts to help unclaimed veterans get proper military burials over the past year. The national award honors "outstanding patriotism" through extraordinary service to the community, state or the U.S.

Since June 2025, Baynes has worked alongside local agencies and organizations to identify 15 veterans and lay them to rest. Most of the veterans were from Henrico and Hanover counties and the city of Richmond.

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

Baynes said his responsibilities at the Hanover County Sheriff's Office include overseeing unclaimed remains. He worked with Sandra Moore of the Virginia Veterans Cemetery, who was also an award recipient at the Thursday ceremony, to identify and research whether the remains were veterans.

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From there, Baynes partnered with other agencies, including Bennett Funeral Home and the Patriot Guard Riders, to coordinate transportation for the remains to the Virginia Veterans Ceremony in Amelia. The identified veterans were then laid to rest with honor and dignity through proper military burials, including the presence of their military branches of service.

"These men and women served our country," Baynes said. "It's my honor to do it for them."

Sandra Moore (left) and Jamie Baynes received their awards at the Hanover Historic Courthouse on March 12. (Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

(Paul Nevadomski/8News)

Thursday's ceremony also recognized the many agencies that participated in the effort and honored Andrew Moorhead of Bennett Funeral Home, who organizers said worked to ensure that no veterans were forgotten. Baynes said some of the unclaimed remains had been on the shelves for years.

"I'm only one small part of this whole program. So many people are involved, so many people care about our veterans, so many people want to see them get the dignified funeral they deserve," he said. "I want to keep on doing it until every veteran that we have who might be unclaimed is claimed again and given the burial."