Michael Ryan Snapp was 19 years old when he was murdered. His body was found at his off-campus apartment in Virginia Beach, Virginia, more than 15 years ago, and the person responsible for his murder has yet to be brought to justice.
On the night of Sept. 24, 2003, Snapp, a student and baseball player at Virginia Wesleyan College, and two of his teammates were hanging out at a neighborhood bar called Hoopla’s.
At 1:30 a.m., the sophomore purportedly left the bar alone and walked back to his residence, located at the North Beach Apartment complex in the 4600 block of Downeast Court, as stated by the Daily Press.
His mother stated that “he never talked about crime in the complex.”
“I felt comfortable about his safety, too, because Michael has aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins who lived within a half-mile radius of his apartment.”
At around 2:30 a.m. the following morning, on Sept. 25, emergency responders found Snapp dead in the doorway of his home.
His body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office, where it was confirmed that Snapp, who was originally from Newport News, died from a gunshot wound beneath his shoulder.
Snapp’s death left his family, friends, and teammates devastated, according to a report.
The college sports information director told The News Leader in 2003 that Snapp was “laid-back and quiet.”
“This has stunned everyone. He is not the type of kid you think this would happen to.”
A former roommate and teammate stated that Snapp “was non-confrontational.” His friends claimed that he didn’t have any known enemies.
Police learned through an investigation that the perpetrator did not force their way into Snapp’s second-floor apartment.
They believe that as Snapp was cooking a meal, he heard a knock at the door. When he opened it, shots were fired.
Evidence at the scene suggested that Snapp attempted to close the door during the shooting, but one of the bullets pierced through a sliding glass door nearby before it struck him.
The motive for the killing is unknown.
Anyone with information regarding the unsolved murder of Michael Ryan Snapp is encouraged to contact the Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887.