VIRGINIA BEACH — Two men accused of a robbery that led to a Hampton police officer being shot have been charged in connection to the murders of two people in a Virginia Beach.
John Andrew Rathjen, 28, and Rayvone Sharome Miles, 23, both of Virginia Beach, were found dead at a home in the 2200 block of Archives Court around noon on Sunday, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Two men have been charged with their murders: 28-year-old James Cole Gregory, of Portsmouth, and 29-year-old Leonard Allen Morrison III, of District Heights, Md.
Both men have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery and four counts of using a firearm while committing a felony.
Both men are also charged in the Monday afternoon robbery of a Hampton GameStop, which led to a city police officer being shot.
Also accused in the Hampton robbery, but not implicated in the Virginia Beach murders, is Allen Jamal Ralph, 27, of Newport News.
Police responded to a robbery at the store, located in the 1st block of Hampton Roads Center Parkway, around 2:34 p.m. on Monday. When they arrived, Gregory, Morrison and Ralph ran toward the Hampton Town Centre AMC 24 movie theater parking lot, according to the Hampton Police Department.
An officer tried to arrest Morrison, who began fighting and disarmed the police officer. Another officer, who noticed that Morrison was then armed, began shooting, hitting Morrison several times with bullets, according to the HPD.
Morrison shot back, and police believe he struck the unarmed officer in his ballistic vest.
Morrison is currently in the hospital with serious injuries, and the injured officer was treated and released.
In addition to the charges in Virginia Beach, Morrison is charged with the attempted capital murder of a police officer; disarming a police officer of their gun; three counts of robbery; two counts of conspiracy; nine counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police say he is also wanted in Anne Arundel County, Md. for failing to appear in court for a burglary charge.
Gregory and Ralph are each charged with three counts of robbery; two counts of conspiracy; seven counts of using a gun in the commission of a felony; and four counts of abduction.
Gregory is also charged with possession of a gun by a convicted felon.
Hampton police believe the men may have also been involved in a similar incident in Chesapeake, and are working with the city’s police department to investigate.
Mayfield can be reached at [email protected].
