WISE COUNTY, VA (WCYB) — Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has requested the Virginia Attorney General’s Office investigate the 2025 homicide of a Wallens Ridge State Prison inmate.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed the development to News 5 on Tuesday, May 27.

“The circumstances around the death of Aubrey McKay are of a very serious and troubling nature. Governor Spanberger has requested that the Office of the Attorney General conduct an investigation and initiate any criminal prosecutions that arise. This office will continue its thorough, complete, and timely investigation into these consequential matters,” Attorney General Jay Jones said in an emailed statement.

McKay died on June 4, 2025, while inside the Wise County correctional facility.

The Virginia Department of Corrections confirmed his death is being investigated as a homicide and said at least one officer was either reprimanded or placed on leave.

The Virginia medical examiner’s office listed McKay’s cause of death as multifactorial asphyxia. Virginia State Police also confirmed it is investigating the case.

The Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office also confirmed it will no longer be involved in the case.

A spokesperson for the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office told News 5 on May 25 that Smyth County would oversee the prosecution because of the nature of the investigation.

Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney Phillip Blevins later confirmed he has recused himself from the case.

In a court order provided to News 5 dated May 22, Blevins wrote that he has an association with at least one potential witness involved in the investigation. He was excused from the case.

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (WSET) — A manufacturing company in South Boston is now in contact with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality after an oil spill this week.

A Hitachi Energy spokesperson says that because of heavy rainfall and a pump failure, a small amount of transformer mineral oil spilled.

The manufacturing company makes power transformers. The spokesperson told ABC 13 that an employee noticed oil in a secondary containment area.

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The company says the material was tested and found to be non-toxic. They say the oil stayed on company property with no harm to the community or environment.

ABC 13 reached out to the Department of Environmental Quality, and we are waiting to hear back.

The measure requires products containing kratom not be sold to people under 21, and mandates they must be stored behind counters or locked up by store clerks. Labels must indicate risks associated with the herb, according to the new law, which also bans products that contain a particular chemical found in kratom called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH.