Henrico Duo Indicted on 40 Counts of Animal Cruelty

Henrico County, Virginia – The Henrico County Police have announced the indictment of Deric Rashawn Beale, 41, and Barbara Frances Jones, 53, for the suspicious deaths of five dogs in the Varina Magisterial District.

According to the authorities, the indictment stems from a June 10, 2026, response to the 6200 block of Monahan Road for a suspicious animal death call. Henrico Animal Protection Officers found five dogs in various states of decomposition at the far end of a parking lot.

The dogs’ bodies were taken for necropsies. The authorities said, “None of the dogs showed any signs of external injuries and the cause of death for all five dogs was deemed to be consistent with an environmental factor including heat.”

“This investigation required re-interviewing multiple individuals connected to previous calls for service involving Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones dating back to December 2025,” said Henrico Chief of Police Eric D. English. “Officers also conducted a thorough review of digital evidence from those incidents and leveraged resources and expertise across the Police Division to help advance the investigation.”

Charges

After consulting with the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones were indicted by a Grand Jury on September 14 on the following charges:

Deric Rashawn Beale
• Felony Animal Cruelty causing death (x5)
• Improper disposal of a body (x5)
• Misdemeanor Animal Cruelty (x10)

Barbara Frances Jones
• Felony Animal Cruelty causing death (x5)
• Improper disposal of a body (x5)
• Misdemeanor Animal Cruelty (x10)

“We are so appreciative of the hard work that the Henrico Police Division members put into this investigation,” said Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon L. Taylor. “I certainly appreciate the witnesses who were willing to be interviewed in order to hold these two individuals accountable. As the first jurisdiction to come up with an animal cruelty registry, this is exactly what the public needs to know. While this is the beginning of the process, it’s my Office’s responsibility to hold these two offenders accountable for their conduct.”

Anyone with further information in connection with this case is asked to contact Det. E. Wright at police@henrico.gov. You can also submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.