Westmoreland County Arson Suspect In Custody: Man Linked to Pamplin Teen

A King George man is now behind bars after being apprehended by the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office early Friday (July 20) in the county. Juan Benavidez II, 19, was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail without bond. The Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office has charged him with felony count of arson of a vehicle.

 

MEGAN L METZGER 1
Metzger

The incident remains under investigation and the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office is working with the Virginia State Police to locate a 19-year-old Pamplin woman who has been reported missing. State Police issued a Critically Missing Adult Alert Thursday (July 19) for Megan Lorraine Metzger. Metzger is a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is 5’5 and weighs 150 lbs. She has a 5-inch scar on her right arm.

The incident involving Benavidez began Thursday (July 19) at approximately 10:52 a.m., when King George County Sheriff’s Office alerted the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office to be on the look out for a suspect vehicle allegedly headed to Westmoreland County possibly on Route 3. The suspect vehicle, a white 2004 Mazda 4- door sedan, was located a short time later on Leedstown Road near Twilford. The vehicle had been set fire and was completely destroyed.

The burned vehicle is registered to a family member Metzger. The Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Virginia State Police, then began working to locate Miss Metzger.

Anyone with information about Megan Meztger or Benavidez or recalls seeing a white, 2004 Mazda 4-door sedan in Spotsylvania, King George or Westmoreland counties is encouraged to call 911 or Westmoreland County Master Detective Jones at 804-493-8066 or Virginia State Police in reference to the the missing person case at 804-553-3445.