TURBEVILLE, Va. — A young couple was found dead on a highway median Saturday in Turbeville, Virginia, several hours away from where they both live. Their families are baffled as to why 19-year-old Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin and 21-year-old Ntombo Joel Bianda were even in the rural Virginia town.
Now, Virginia State Police are asking for the public's help in finding the person responsible for killing the two young adults.
Police discovered the bodies of Griffin, of Germantown, and Bianda, of Alexandria, Saturday morning, in the median of US Route 58 in Turbeville, which is a four-hour drive from Washington, D.C.
Both Maertens-Griffin and Bianda's bodies were found next to a silver Nissan Maxima, but Virginia State Police do not believe the pair died in a car crash.
In a press release, VSP said they believe both Maertens-Griffin and Bianda were murdered. The details as to how have not been released by officers.
Ayanna's aunt, Kassie Rich, said she was not sure why the pair, who were dating, were in southern Virginia.
"It's completely broken all of our hearts," Rich said. "I don't even know if we're going to officially figure out everything, but we hope and pray that we do."
Maertens-Griffin and Bianda both graduated from Northwest High School in Germantown, according to their formal principal. Two GoFundMe pages have already been set up to support their respective families.
"She was a light in the darkness," Rich said of Ayanna.
Rich asks that if anyone knows anything about the couple's case, that they contact Virginia State Police at 434-352-7128.
"Say something, if you've seen even the slightest thing, tell somebody," Rich said.
Virginia State Police said they are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen the silver Nissan Maxima, with Virginia plates, between South Boston, Va. and Danville, Va. between the hours of 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 and 3 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8.