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Gruesome discovery made by teens leaves Richmond Police with questions

Gruesome discovery made by teens leaves Richmond Police with questions
Posted at 7:47 PM, Feb 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-19 19:47:41-05

RICHMOND, Va. -- A woman, now identified as 42-year-old Rachel Marie Scott, was found dead at a Richmond cemetery on Valentine's Day.

The gruesome discovery was made by a group of teens from Benedictine.

Crime Insider sources said the woman's bloody body was found close to a building on the property of Mount Calvary Cemetery off Randolph Street in Richmond.

"I suspect finding this body in the condition it was in is going to be traumatic for some of those teenagers who found it. There are adults out there that go their whole life without seeing that so I imagine it will have an impact on a young person," crime expert Steve Neal said.

This woman is Richmond's fifth homicide investigation of 2022.

Crime Insider sources said Major Crimes Detectives are digging into seeing why her body was found where it was, adding that the cemetery is a good ways away from her home in Beaverdam.

"The indicators lead me to believe it's likely someone she knows. So the first thing I'm asking is who is she close with, who was she last seen hanging with because those are going to be important clues," Neal said.

A retired police captain and crime expert Steve Neal said detectives will use forensic evidence collected on the scene and other evidence gathered from social media sites to put a case together.

Meanwhile, Benedictine's Director of Communication shared the following statement with CBS6 which reads in part:

Our counselors have also been in contact with the parents to ensure those impacted are supported in multiple ways. Additionally, the school has provided families with the appropriate contact information at the RPD as an additional resource. We understand that this can be a challenging and emotional experience for anyone, and we will continue to support our students in the days to come and encourage them to speak with one of our on-site counselors.

Mount Calvary is a cemetery tucked away in the center of the city.

Anyone who may have seen Scott enter the cemetery or who may have seen any other activity on the property on Valentine's Day is asked to call the police.

This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.