Authorities say the victim was found dead Wednesday afternoon on Deputy Lane in what investigators believe was a domestic case.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Police in Newport News are searching for the husband of a 37-year-old woman who was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon at a home on Deputy Lane, saying he is wanted on a murder charge and should be considered armed and dangerous.
The case moved from an active homicide investigation to a manhunt within two days, putting neighbors and local police on alert in a residential part of the city. Investigators identified the victim as Keshia Pearley of Newport News and named her husband, 39-year-old Joquan Antonio Porter, as the suspect. Authorities said warrants had been issued charging Porter with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm within an occupied dwelling.
Officers were called at about 12:54 p.m. Wednesday to the 300 block of Deputy Lane on a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. By the end of the day, investigators had described the killing as a homicide and said early evidence pointed to a domestic situation. As detectives and forensic teams worked through the property, police released only limited public details about what happened inside the home before the shooting. The victim’s name was made public after relatives were notified. On Friday, investigators said they had identified Pearley’s husband as the suspect and were actively searching for him.
Police said Porter was wanted on three felony warrants tied to the shooting. The most serious charge was first-degree murder, a sign that investigators believe the killing was intentional and that they had gathered enough evidence to seek an arrest. The firearm-related charges added to the case suggest police believe a gun was used during the crime and fired inside a dwelling that was occupied at the time. Authorities have not publicly said whether anyone else was inside the home when shots were fired, whether children were present or whether there were witnesses who saw Porter leave. They also have not said whether a weapon was recovered. Police urged anyone who sees Porter not to approach him and instead contact emergency communications because, they said, he may be armed.
The shooting drew attention in Newport News because it unfolded in daylight in a neighborhood setting and quickly became a domestic homicide investigation. Cases like this often move in stages, beginning with a response to a reported shooting, then scene processing, victim identification and, finally, the naming of a suspect once detectives have interviewed witnesses and reviewed physical evidence. In this case, police first announced the homicide Wednesday afternoon, then later identified the victim as Pearley and said the shooting was believed to be domestic-related. By Friday, they had gone further and publicly named the suspect. That progression showed investigators were building the case as evidence came in, even as many questions about motive, the events leading up to the shooting and any history of prior calls to the address remained unanswered.
The legal path ahead depends first on Porter being found. Once he is in custody, he would be expected to appear before a magistrate or judge, where the charges would be formally presented and conditions of detention addressed. The case would then move through the Newport News court system, with prosecutors deciding how to proceed based on witness accounts, forensic results and any statements collected by detectives. Additional charges are still possible if investigators determine others were placed at risk or if new evidence emerges. Police also have not said whether an autopsy has been completed or when full medical examiner findings might be available. In the near term, the public focus remains on locating Porter and securing the area while investigators finish processing records, interviews and physical evidence tied to the homicide.
Beyond the criminal case, the killing left a visible mark on the neighborhood. Police said they planned a C.A.R.E. walk at 4 p.m. Friday off Deputy Lane, a step often used by the department to bring officers and residents together after violence in a community. The event signaled that the response was not limited to the search for a suspect but also included an effort to reassure neighbors shaken by the shooting. For residents, the case turned an ordinary weekday afternoon into a crime scene filled with patrol cars, investigators and uncertainty about who had fled. For Pearley’s family, the public identification of the suspect brought a clearer picture of the investigation but no immediate end to it. The case remained open, active and unresolved as officers continued the search.
Police said Friday that Porter was still being sought and remained considered armed and dangerous. The next key milestone will come when he is located and appears in court on the murder and firearm charges.
Author note: Last updated April 6, 2026.