NORFOLK, Va. — A woman found fatally stabbed on East Brambleton Avenue has been identified by authorities as 55-year-old Stephanie P. Branch of Norfolk.
On the morning of July 21, 2025, around 5 a.m., Norfolk police responded to a report of a parking violation in the 1600 block of East Brambleton Avenue, near the Interstate 264 overpass and Park Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Branch inside a silver Saturn SUV, suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. The location is close to a Norfolk State University light rail station and a bus stop, though officials from both the university and Hampton Roads Transit have stated the incident is unrelated to their operations.
The Norfolk Police Department is investigating Branch’s death as a homicide. According to reports, Branch was stabbed 21 times, a detail that has left her family and loved ones devastated. Tracey Williams, a close family friend, expressed anguish, stating, “She small. She’s brittle. Why would it take someone to do that? What could she have done for that? She didn’t deserve that.”
Family members, frustrated by the initial lack of communication from authorities, launched their own investigation, starting with Branch’s last known contact—a call to her 21-year-old son, Cedric Williams, requesting money via Cash App. Cedric noted that two individuals were in the car with his mother at the time. The family gathered at God’s Prepared Word, a local storefront church, to compile complaints about the police response, emphasizing their desire for justice.
On July 30, 2025, the Norfolk Police Department officially identified Branch as the victim in a news release. The same day, Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi confirmed that a suspect, identified only as Kelly, has been charged with concealing Branch’s body. Kelly is scheduled for an arraignment and bond hearing in September. However, no further details about the suspect or the circumstances of the crime have been released, and police have not explained why initial announcements did not include the victim’s identity or the suspect’s custody status.
Branch, described as a vibrant mother and sister, leaves behind two sons, Bobby Branch and Cedric Williams; a daughter, Zenobia Branch; a goddaughter, Lotoya Parham; four grandchildren; and eight siblings, along with many close friends considered family. Her obituary highlights her as a “bright light” with a contagious laugh and a unique sense of style, noting her love for family trips to the Carolinas and her ability to light up any room. A viewing was held on July 30, 2025, at Metropolitan Funeral Service on Granby Street, with a celebration of life on July 31, 2025.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging anyone with information to contact the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit a tip via the P3Tips mobile app.
