Man charged with homicide after another man shot, killed in Lunenburg hunting incident

LUNENBURG COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 47-year-old man has been charged with homicide, among other charges, after officials said he shot and killed a man in a hunting incident in Lunenburg County in February.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) announced in a release on Thursday, Oct. 9, that on Oct. 7, 47-year-old Jonathan A. Bailey of Mecklenburg County was indicted by a Lunenburg County grand jury on the following charges:

• Homicide
• Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
• Assault in the commission of a felony
• Reckless handling of a firearm
• Hunting with a firearm while intoxicated
• Shooting across a roadway

These charges come after DWR received a report from the Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office in the evening on Feb. 17 of a deadly hunting incident on Tuckers Road in the town of Keysville in Lunenburg County.

DWR said the suspect, identified as Bailey, was predator hunting with another hunter when he allegedly shot and killed 54-year-old William C. Gaulding III, of the town of Victoria in Lunenburg, who was also hunting in the area.

William Gaulding, who was shot and killed in a hunting incident in Lunenburg County in February of 2025. He was 54 years old. (Courtesy of the Gaulding family)

“This was a tragic incident that occurred due to negligence and a disregard for safety by Jonathan Bailey,” said DWR Major Ryan Shuler. “It’s because of the professionalism and dedication of the law enforcement team at DWR and with the assistance of the Lunenburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Albemarle County Police Department Cybercrimes Unit, that these indictments were secured and justice can be sought.”

Bailey turned himself in at the Lunenburg Courthouse on Oct. 8 and is being held without bond, according to DWR. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 14.

8News spoke to Gaulding's family back in March, who said their grief was overwhelming.

Gaulding's sister, Brandy Roque, described him as a gentle giant — standing 6’1″ and weighing 300 lbs, but known for his humility, kindness, and generosity.

“He was giving, kind, generous… a larger-than-life personality,” Roque told 8News.