Sept. 4, 2020
Police
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – Police have arrested two men involved in a suspicious death that has been ruled a homicide.
Just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, police were called to the area of Kingsland Glen Drive for a report of a suspicious situation. Upon arrival, officers located a body that had been burned. The body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Through investigation, detectives identified the remains as those of Helana M. Swigert, 24, of no permanent address. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has determined that Swigert’s manner of death was homicide.
Chesterfield and Henrico detectives with assistance from Richmond City Police and the FBI learned that, Helana was the victim of human trafficking by known gang members who were using sex trafficking and racketeering activity as a way to earn money for the gang.
On Wednesday, police obtained indictments for Shykeen Delaney, of no permanent address in New York City, NY, and Phaheem Roy-Andrew Peterson, of the 3000 block of Millers Glen Lane in Henrico.
Delaney, 31, has been charged with first/second degree murder, felony homicide, arson, abduction, distribution of narcotics, destroying a body, sex trafficking by force, taking a person to a bawdy place, conspiracy, racketeering, gang participation and gang recruitment. He was served with the indictments on September 4 and is currently being held without bond in Chesterfield County Jail. Peterson, 27, has been charged with first/second degree murder, felony homicide, arson, abduction, distribution of narcotics, destroying a body, sex trafficking by force, taking a person to a bawdy place, conspiracy, racketeering, gang participation and gang recruitment. He was served with the indictments on September 3 and is currently being held without bond in Henrico County Jail.
Police continue to investigate and urge anyone with information to contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or through the P3 app.