Rocky Mount Man Charged with Murder Following Discovery of Brother’s Remains in Franklin County

Terry Shawn Hodges, 43, faces a second-degree murder charge after the remains of his missing brother, Charles Arthur Smith Jr., were found in Franklin County.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from WDBJ7 Roanoke

Discovery and Identification of Remains

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has transitioned a missing persons case into a homicide investigation following the recovery of human remains on March 17. Deputies located the body in the vicinity of Power Dam Road, a rural area of Franklin County, and transported the remains to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Roanoke for forensic analysis. On Wednesday, March 25, medical officials positively identified the deceased as 21 year old Charles Arthur Smith Jr. Based on the autopsy findings, the medical examiner officially ruled the death a homicide, though the specific cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Arrest of the Victim’s Brother

In a swift development following the identification, investigators arrested 43 year old Terry Shawn Hodges of Rocky Mount. Hodges, who is the older brother of the victim, now faces one count of second degree murder. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has not yet commented on a potential motive or the circumstances that led them to suspect Hodges in his brother’s death. The suspect is currently being held in the Western Virginia Regional Jail without bond as he awaits his initial court appearance.

Timeline of the Disappearance

Charles Arthur Smith Jr. had been the subject of an active search since late February. He was last seen alive on or about February 22, and his family subsequently reported him missing when he failed to return home. For nearly a month, local authorities and community members circulated descriptions of the 21 year old, hoping for his safe return. The discovery of his body nearly four weeks after his last sighting has brought a somber conclusion to the search, shifting the focus of the community toward the unfolding criminal proceedings.