Our Board

Virginia Homicide Investigators Association

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our board members

Derek Hardy- President

Derek Hardy is the Forensic Imaging Systems Manager with Arrowhead Forensics. Prior to this he was a Senior Forensic Photographer at the United States Postal Inspection Service, located at the National Forensic Laboratory in Dulles Virginia. He began his forensic career with the Fairfax County Police Department located in Fairfax, Virginia in 1993. After working as a Patrol level Crime Scene Technician for several years, he was assigned to the Cyber Forensics Bureau as a Crime Scene Detective in 1999 and stayed there until his retirement in 2018. During his time as a Crime Scene Detective and a Forensic Photographer he has had many opportunities to learn complex photographic techniques using the best equipment in the industry. Additionally, he has traveled extensively to many local and federal law enforcement agencies around the United States and internationally to train Crime Scene Personnel and Latent Examiners using these techniques and equipment. Derek is a member of the International Association for Identification (IAI) as well as the sitting President of the Board for the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association (VHIA).

Ronnie Young- Immediate past President

Chris Flanagan- Vice President

Detective Flanagan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University in 1987. He began his career with the Fairfax County Police Department in 1987 and has worked in patrol, Organized Crime and Narcotics, DEA Task Force, Robbery, Homicide, and Cold Case. He has investigated numerous complex high-profile murder investigations, including the DC Sniper Task Force and numerous officer involved shootings and In-Custody Deaths.

Detective Flanagan retired from the Fairfax County Police in 2021. He currently provides training for the establishment of cold case units and best practice protocols for cold case homicide investigations across the United States. He was the Training Director for the VHIA from 2012 through 2019 and is currently the Vice President of the VHIA. He is the President of the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigators Association as well as a special member of the VIDOCQ Society.

Brian Byerson- Treasurer

Detective Brian Byerson has been with the Fairfax County Police Department since 2004 and has been assigned to the Major Crimes Bureau since 2011. Detective Byerson spent 4 years in the Adult Sex Crimes section, and then transferred to the Homicide section where he currently serves. Detective Byerson is a graduate of the Medicolegal Investigation of Death school in Miami Florida, and a current board member of the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association, where he serves as the Treasurer. Detective Byerson has investigated and prosecuted several high-profile homicide cases not only in Fairfax County but throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, to include working with United States Attorney's offices throughout the United States.

He is a prior recipient of the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association Investigator of the Year award.

Prior to his work at the Fairfax County Police Department, Detective Byerson served in the United States Marine Corps as an explosive dog handler, and Kennel Master.

Darien "D.R." Cupka- Training Coordinator

Detective Cupka has been in law enforcement since 1995, investigating deaths and violent crimes since 2004. He is a graduate of the NYPD Homicide School, a member of the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association, the Virginia Gang Investigators Association, and Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team.

Detective Cupka has been a VADCJS certified instructor since 1998. Detective Cupka has had the honor of investigating deaths and homicides along with some of the finest investigators from several Virginia jurisdictions, outside Agencies, and Federal Agencies; testifying in several states, localities, and Federal Circuit Courts, which have led to numerous convictions. He is a prior recipient of the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association Investigator of the Year award.

Dan Rice- Secretary

Dan is a retired Special Agent of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service where he served for over 25 years before his 2011 retirement. While with NCIS, he specialized in homicide and cold case investigations. He was stationed throughout the Norfolk Field Office, Okinawa Resident Agency, and Headquarters. He was the Assistant Team Leader of the Norfolk Major Case Response Team, and the Team Leader of the MCRT in Okinawa, where he processed homicide and sexual assault crime scenes.

Following his NCIS time, Dan spent three years working cold case espionage cases for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Since 2014 he has been a senior cold case homicide analyst for the Virginia State Police where he supports state, local and federal law enforcement agencies with cold cases. Dan also works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as a consultant for Team Adam. In his NCMEC role, Dan has travelled up and down the East Coast assisting law enforcement agencies on cold cases involving juveniles.

As a certified law enforcement instructor, he has presented training in Sexual Assaults, Death Investigations, Crime Scene Processing and Management, and Cold Case Methodologies at seminars for local, state, and federal agencies as well as internationally in the Far East, Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. Dan is a Charter Member of the Virginia Homicide Investigator’s Association, and a two-time recipient of the VHIA Homicide Investigator of the Year award. He was also presented the Navy Judge Advocate General Special Agent of the Year Award while stationed in Norfolk.

He is a graduate of Old Dominion University and served in the United States Navy, where he flew in the F-4 Phantom as a Radar Intercept Officer. Following his Navy stint, and prior to his NCIS career, Dan spent six years with the Virginia Beach Police Department. Three years were in uniform patrol, and the last three years were with the Special Operations Division where he worked traffic, flew as a helicopter observer, and was a member of the police dive team. Dan is also a certified Divemaster with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

Sara Lombraña- Training Committee

Frank Molino- Membership Coordinator/ TRAINING COMMITTEE

Frank A. Molino is currently a Team Adam Consultant with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In his current role he provides investigative and technical support to law enforcement agencies involving active and long-term missing children investigations.

Frank retired as a Detective Grade-One with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC (MPDC) with more than 25 years of law enforcement. He spent most of his career in criminal investigations assigned to the Homicide Branch, Cold Case Unit, ATF-MPD Arson and Explosive Task Force.

Early in his career, he served in the Seventh Patrol District, Street Crimes Unit, Firearms Trafficking Task Force, and special assignment to the Intelligence Division.

Frank joined the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association in 1995 and has been a board member since 2012. He received his bachelor’s degree in Police and Security Studies from The George Washington University.

Alyssa Zullig- Merchandise Coordinator

Captain Alyssa Zullig has nearly 21 years of law enforcement service at the Waynesboro Police Department. She began her career as a Patrol Officer. Later, she served as a Field Training Officer.

In 2004, Captain Zullig was selected to move to the Detective Division. Over the next 17 years, she completed numerous specialty and general assignments within that division. Those assignments included: general investigations, narcotics investigations, and gang investigations. She also was promoted to the rank of Corporal and then several years later to Sergeant.

The department recognized Captain Zullig's thorough investigative skills and dedication to victim advocacy in December 2012. She was the first recipient of the department's award, "The Police Star," for her resourcefulness, tenacity, and leadership beyond the call of duty on an investigation that began as child abuse.

Based on her training and experience, she recognized the circumstances were indicative of a possible homicide. During the almost two-year investigation, coordination with multiple agencies, including out-of-state and out-of-the-country agencies, ultimately solved a 10-year-old Jane Doe unsolved missing person case that was determined to be a homicide from another state.

She has been a member of the Hostage Negotiations team since 2011 and is currently the Team Commander. She is also the department's Peer Support Team Manager.

Captain Zullig was promoted to her current rank in December 2021. She currently serves as the Investigative Division Commander.

Kevin George- Conference Vendor Coordinator

Kevin is a native of Patrick County Virginia. He graduated from Patrick County High School in Stuart, Virginia, in 1988. He continued his education at Radford University earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, graduating in 1992.

Kevin was hired by the Virginia State Police in September of 1995. He graduated from the Virginia State Police Training Academy in April of 1996 and was assigned to Mecklenburg County as a Trooper. He was promoted to the rank of Senior Trooper in 2004.

In 2011 Kevin was promoted from the rank of Senior Trooper to Special Agent. He was assigned to the Appomattox Field Office of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. In 2016, Kevin was assigned to the Violent Crime Investigations section of the field office. He also serves as a Crisis Negotiator for the Virginia State Police. In 2021 he was promoted to the rank of Senior Special Agent and continues to serve in that capacity.

Kevin lives in Clarksville with his wife Candie and two children, Slate and Ella. He is active in his community as a softball coach with Dixie Youth Girls and has previously served as a basketball coach in the YMCA Youth League and Dixie Youth Boys baseball league.

Kevin and his family attend Clarksville Baptist Church, where they play an active role in church functions. Kevin is also a Master Mason and is affiliated with Twin Rivers Lodge #338 in Clarksville, Virginia.