Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 3, 1994 TAG: 9410040024
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Friends noticed Earl Bramblett was missing and became perplexed when he didn't attend the family's funeral.
Bonny Winter, owner of Winter's Mini-Storage in Vinton, said that late on Friday, Sept. 9, she gave police access to Bramblett's rented locker. She immediately left.
Vinton Police Chief Rick Foutz confirmed that a search occurred that day and that items were seized. Investigators would not elaborate; they would not say whether Bramblett is a suspect.
Bramblett, a 52-year-old drifter who tooled around in a rusting white pickup truck, was often seen at the family's home tinkering with cars.
He loved old autos, especially old sportsters. He once owned three Triumphs, each in a different color: pure white, deep red and dull brown.
"He didn't like anything new; it was too complicated for him," said a friend who did not want his name published.
Bramblett's gift was in silk-screening - the painstaking process of creating lettering and images and putting them on cloth or objects. He shared his love for the art with Blaine Hodges; the two often worked together.
Recently, Bramblett had taken to creating designs on T-shirts and selling his wares to vacationers on the Virginia and North Carolina shores.
Friends say he kept to himself and didn't like to stay in one place for very long. For a time he lived in a camper. More recently, he took to living out of his truck, finding the comforts of family life every now and then with the Hodgeses.
Days before the family was killed, Bramblett was seen painting their home. By his side was a helper, Blaine Hodges' daughter, 11-year-old Winter.
"He is the type of guy who lived day to day," a friend said. "He's mild-mannered, nice; he'll do anything for you."
Keywords:
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by CNB