They’re ‘all just children, really’: Four accused in tragic murder of missing Hopewell 18-year-old
VENN
CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Four people are facing charges for the murder of Jayden McComber, a missing Hopewell 18-year-old who was found dead in a Caroline County pond. Local authorities are calling the situation tragic, saying those involved "are all just children, really."
McComber, a Hopewell High School student, was reported missing by his loved ones on Thursday, March 26. His body was later found in Byrd Millpond on Tuesday, March 31.
Caroline County Sheriff Scott Moser said the arrests come after a multi-agency search effort.
"Based on the investigation that's been done by my guys, and with the cooperation of Hopewell, Henrico, the FBI and other individuals ... they were able to put together their regional fugitive task force, and we were able to conduct a search warrant in Henrico County," Moser said.
Moser said in that search, they recovered personal items believed to belong to McComber.
"Jayden was … he was only 18 years old," Moser said. "And it’s just sad."
The four people charged are young, too, Moser said. They have been identified as 23-year-old Rashad Mayfield of Henrico County, 20-year-old Devonti Pettaway of Chesterfield County, 18-year-old Kennady Lambert of Hopewell, and 19-year-old Jaden Phillips of Richmond.
McComber's personal items are believed to have been found at Mayfield's home. He was taken into custody during a traffic stop around the same time as the search.
"It's a tragedy," Moser said. "These individuals are all just children, really," Moser said.
Still, many questions remain.
ALL COVERAGE: Disturbing 2026 Homicide Investigations in Caroline County
McComber was found just five miles from where deputies recovered the body of an unidentified female. Investigators said they believe these two homicide cases are linked -- a connection that led them to search the pond where McComber was found.
In the search, Moser said investigators also located McComber's truck in Virginia Beach on Saturday, March 28.
"They used their forensic unit to process the pickup truck, and we found valuable information that led us to the arrest of these individuals," Moser said.
Authorities said they believe these were not random acts of violence and that everyone involved knew each other.
McComber’s case remains under investigation, but no arrests have been made in connection with the death of the unidentified female.
For all of our coverage on these homicide investigations, click here.
