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'She will be greatly missed' | Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office loses longtime member

Lt. Bendily served the Virginia Beach community for 19 years. She was influential in successfully prosecuting the city's first RICO case.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Author's Note: The video above is on file from Oct. 10, 2019.

A longtime member of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office passed away Monday.

The sheriff's office said former Lt. Nicole Bendily, 49, died unexpectedly at her Virginia Beach home. She was married with two daughters.

“We are heartbroken at the sudden loss of Lt. Bendily, who was an incredible deputy sheriff who made many lasting contributions to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and the city of Virginia Beach,” said Sheriff Ken Stolle. “She will be greatly missed and always remembered for the impact that she had. We are doing everything we can to support her family during this difficult time.”

Lt. Bendily became a VBSO member on July 1, 2002, and stayed with the law enforcement agency for nearly 20 years. Prior to her death, she was serving in the Medical Division.

During Bendily's 19 years of honorable service, she worked in multiple departments including Correctional Operations, Intake and Release, Classification and the Professional Standards Office.

Credit: Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office

She also received a certificate as a Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services General Instructor. It was a way for her to support Basic Academy recruits by teaching them ethics and more.

The sheriff's office said Bendily also helped form the Criminal Intelligence Unit. She successfully prosecuted the city's first Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case.

Bendily accomplished all of this while going back to school and earning her degree. That helped her to get promoted through the ranks.

Additionally, she devoted her free time to volunteering with the Special Olympics Virginia.

You can support Bendily's family by donating to their GoFundMe account

Author's Note: The video below is on file from Aug. 17, 2021.

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