Central Virginia has seen a slight increase in homicides so far this year, with higher numbers in Richmond and Petersburg offsetting improved numbers elsewhere. For the first nine months of the year, the region had 59 homicides, compared with 55 at the same time last year. The biggest shift has been in Richmond, where city police recorded seven more homicides as of Sept. 30 than a year earlier. Richmond’s nine-month count of 34 exceeds the total of 32 homicides for all of 2008.

The suspect in the slayings of four people in Farmville may have been in Internet communication with the daughter of the Longwood University professor who lived at the home where the bodies were found. Richard Samuel Alden McCroskey III keeps two MySpace pages—one where he goes by the name “Lildemondog” that is for his personal use, the other to promote his music under the stage name “Syko Sam.“

Suspect in the slayings of four people at the home of a Longwood University professor was arrested by Richmond International Airport police who found him sleeping in a baggage claim area.

Central Virginia is on pace to record more homicides this year than last, a trend largely driven by more killings in Richmond, suburban Henrico County and Petersburg. Forty-eight slayings occurred during the first six months of this year in the 24 localities that make up the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area, compared with 42 during the same period last year.

Law-enforcement officials are blaming drugs and the economy for a spike in homicides this year in Richmond. City police have recorded 27 slayings this year, just five shy of the 32 homicides for all of 2008. Last year’s total was the lowest the city had seen in decades. Robberies of individuals and larcenies also are outpacing last year’s numbers, leading to a 6 percent increase in overall major crime this year that follows five consecutive annual decreases in major crime.

Buying drugs in Richmond is becoming a deadlier pursuit. Drugs have played a significant role in about 67 percent of this year’s homicides, with would-be customers carrying hundreds of dollars and getting killed for the money, authorities say. “It’s the No. 1 factor,“ said Richmond Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Learned Barry. “You go buy drugs, you’ve got a good chance of getting killed.“

Authorities today say they’ve arrested two Richmond men wanted in separate city homicides. David M. Ellis, 18, of the 3000 block of Garland Avenue, was arrested yesterday within hours after police found a man dead in a car from a gunshot wound in North Richmond. Police identified the victim today as Kelvin R. Green, 38, of Highland Springs. A family member and a family friend yesterday had identified him as Kevin Green.

A jury started hearing the prosecution’s case today in the Chesterfield County Circuit Court trial of a man accused of killing his daughter’s 19-year-old boyfriend.