Walter Thomas (“Tom”) Poindexter passed away at Lynchburg General Hospital in Lynchburg, VA, after a short battle with pneumonia related to his vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on Thursday, April 9th, 2026.

Tom was born on July 4, 1950, in Roanoke, Virginia. He grew up in Vinton, Virginia, attending William Byrd High School until the age of 17, when his mother relocated to McLean, Virginia following a job transfer with the United States Postal Service.

Tom was an accomplished singer in high school, performing as a member of the Madrigals at both William Byrd and Marshall High Schools. He graduated from Marshall High School in 1968 and later attended Northern Virginia Community College, where he studied Administration of Justice for approximately a year and a half.

In 1972, Tom began what would become a distinguished 33-year career in law enforcement with the City of Manassas Park Police Department. On May 17, 1974, he married Catherine “Cathy” Ann Balderson, and together they had two children, Kevin and Kelly, both born in Fairfax, Virginia, sharing the same August birthday exactly three years apart.

After three years with Manassas Park PD, Tom transferred to the newly established Prince William County Police Department, where he worked on the western side of the county for five years. In 1980, he joined the Manassas City Police Department, where he would spend the remainder of his career.

Over the next 25 years, Tom became one of Northern Virginia’s most respected Crime Scene Investigators. He found his passion in forensics, excelling in latent fingerprint analysis and teaching crime scene photography and processing at the Virginia Forensic Science Academy, Rappahannock Criminal Justice Academy and Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy. After many years as an investigator, he chose to spend the final years of his career back in uniform as a crisis negotiator, field training officer, mentoring new police officers and passing along his extensive knowledge and experience. He retired in September 2005.

Following retirement, Tom continued working as a federal background clearance investigator, a civil process server, and later as a licensed insurance agent with Aflac.

In his free time, Tom was an avid 35mm and medium-format photographer throughout the 1980s and 1990s before the age of digital photography. He also ran a wedding photography business, “Special Memories,” for many years alongside his law enforcement career creating special memories for many couples. A Civil War history enthusiast, he enjoyed taking his family to numerous battlefields, NASCAR races, and playing golf. While his children were young, he taught them how to bowl and play golf and coached soccer for several years with the Manassas Area Soccer Association.

Tom was a longtime member and former executive board member of the Virginia Forensic Science Academy Alumni Association, an early member of the Buckhall Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, and a member of Buckhall United Methodist Church.

In 2023, Tom relocated to Lynchburg, VA, where he was a resident at ValleyView Retirement Community for 2 years and most recently a resident at Cardinal Assisted Living in Bedford, VA.

He is survived by his son, Kevin (Ashley) Poindexter of Lynchburg, Virginia; his daughter, Kelly Ray of Stephens City, Virginia; and his grandchildren, Xavier and Maddox Ray, and Brayden and Keeley Poindexter. He is also survived by his best friend of 58 years, Dan (Jo) Schweitzer.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Cathy Poindexter; his father, Walter Douglas Poindexter; his mother, Roberta Backus Poindexter; and his older sisters, Laura Jayson and Mary (Bill) Berry.

The family will receive friends and extended family for a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Pierce Funeral Home Chapel (9609 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110) from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.