Search continues for missing Cumberland woman; murder victim identified
Published 10:50 am Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Amy Renee Fabian (Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
This photo offers another look at Amy Renee Fabian, 43, a Cumberland resident who remains missing amid an ongoing investigation that began early Friday morning. The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office continues to follow up on several leads and is still urging the public to call in with any information about Fabian or the man suspected in her disappearance, George W. Knisley IV, 41, of Carroll County, Maryland, who was apprehended after a late Friday night pursuit in North Carolina. (Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
This is the original photo released of Cumberland resident Amy Renee Fabian, who remains missing amid an ongoing investigation. The 43-year-old Fabian is described by the Virginia State Police release as a white female with brown eyes and brown hair, 5 feet, 8 inches in height and weighing 124 pounds. (Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is urging the public to please keep an eye out for this now-abandoned truck, which is a white 2002 Ford F350 work truck reported stolen out of Maryland on Thursday. It has “Alleghany Industries” displayed on the side and has a license plate of “22L 231.” (Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
George William Knisley (Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
Virginia State Police (VSP) provided an update to the search for a missing 43-year-old female Cumberland resident who has not been seen since authorities responded to her residence early Friday morning regarding a homicide.
Police said Tuesday afternoon that they are now concentrating their search in the area of South Hill and Mecklenburg County.
“The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Virginia State Police, South Hill Police, Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), is actively searching this area for Amy Renee Fabian, 43, and the 2002 white, Ford F-350 work truck stolen out of Maryland May 23, 2019,” the Tuesday release cited.
Fabian is a white female with brown eyes and brown hair, officials stated in the release. She is 5 feet, 8 inches in height and weighs 124 pounds. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office continues to follow up on several leads and is still urging the public to call in with any information about Fabian or the man suspected in her disappearance, George W. Knisley IV, 41, of Carroll County, Maryland, who was apprehended after a late Friday night pursuit in North Carolina.
VSP provided an explanation Wednesday afternoon for the cancellation of the Critically Missing Adult Alert that was previously issued in connection with Fabian.
“Ms. Fabian has NOT been located and the search for her remains ongoing at this time,” VSP Public Relations Director Corinne N. Geller said. “The Critically Missing Adult Alert for her was cancelled in accordance with program policy. The alert has a ’12-hour window,’ and that window was initially extended at the request of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.”
The key suspect in the homicide has been apprehended and the murder victim has been identified.
The initial incident began at approximately 3:30 a.m. Friday when the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a homicide occurring at Fabian’s residence in the 200 block of Mount Airy Lane, the release noted. Upon law enforcement arriving at the location, an adult male was found deceased inside Fabian’s residence. Fabian was not there and has not been seen since.
Officials revealed in the release that the adult male has been identified as Matthew T. Broyles, 29, of Powhatan. His remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond for examination and autopsy. Knisley has been charged with first-degree murder for Broyles’ death.
Knisley is believed to have left Fabian’s residence on Mount Airy Lane driving a white 2002 Ford F-350 work truck, which was reported stolen out of Maryland on Thursday, the release stated. The truck is white with “Alleghany Industries” displayed on the side and has a license plate of “22L 231.” The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is still looking for the now-abandoned truck, which could be anywhere between Cumberland and Mecklenburg counties.
During the course of the investigation into the Cumberland homicide, the South Hill Police Department received a 911 call at about 6:30 a.m. Friday from a woman who was walking out to her car at her residence and encountered a male subject, the release cited. The male, who fit Knisley’s description, threatened the woman at gunpoint and stole her 2013 Honda Civic. The man drove off in the Honda Civic. The woman was not injured.
Officials said in the release that the 2013 Honda Civic is white and has a Virginia license “LAR 64.” The whereabouts of the Honda Civic are still unknown.
Late Friday evening, Knisley is suspected of having stolen a third vehicle in North Carolina, according to the release. Later that night, he was involved in a pursuit with Raleigh, North Carolina, police. Raleigh police took Knisley into custody on the murder charge awaiting extradition to Cumberland County. Additional charges are pending.
The release concluded by highlighting that the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for anyone with information about the whereabouts of Fabian and/or either of the stolen vehicles to call 911 or (804) 492-4120 or the Virginia State Police at #77.
