Judge certifies charges against man accused of killing wife

AMHERST COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - A judge has certified charges against Michael Perry III, who is accused of second-degree murder and disposal of a dead body in the 2023 death of his wife.

Avriel Hooks was reported missing August 23 in Lynchburg, and found deceased six days later in Amherst County.

The evidence that led the judge to believe there was probable cause includes phone data that pinged Hooks’ phone in the area where police were able to find her body. There is also video surveillance that shows Perry III nearby at a later time.

In a hearing March 13, 2024, lawyers brought up a witness who is said to have been the last person to see Avriel alive. He’s a cab driver in Lynchburg who called 911 to report a possible crime. He says he was driving Winchester in Lynchburg when he saw two people outside a car in the street. The woman yelled at him to stop the cab, saying the man she was with was going to kill her, but the man yelled back not to worry about it because the woman was off her meds. The driver said he didn’t stop because he was scared, but called 911 right away. He was able to point out Perry III in a lineup as the man he saw that night.

Lynchburg Police say when officers got there, they didn’t see a car or people.

Leading up to that incident, phone data show Perry III repeatedly called and texted Hooks’ and left multiple voicemails, arguing with her. But the detective in court said Hooks’ didn’t respond to those messages or phone calls, though she did pick up one call, staying on the phone for about 40 minutes. After that, he continued calling and texting and leaving voice mails, and eventually picked her up and admitted to police that he had been with her.

There is also an attempted 911 call made from a Hooks’ phone in Lynchburg, but it didn’t go through.

Officers say they found globes, boots, blankets, trash bags, a knife and a box for an AR-15 while searching Perry’s car. During the cross examination, defense attorney Kevin Bailey pointed out that only the gloves were sent to a lab for further examination and investigators failed to send the rest of the evidence. The results of that lab have not been completed.

Officers also said when they interviewed Perry, he had scratches on his arm, which he claimed to be from work. Bailey said detectives failed to test his scratches or Hooks’ nails for possible evidence.

Bailey says he doesn’t think the commonwealth has a strong case, having only phone data and evidence that Perry and Avriel were arguing, but not any evidence that connects him directly to the crime scene. He also says the cause of Hooks’ death according to the autopsy is undetermined.

The case will go before a grand jury in Amherst County in April.