Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 9, 1990 TAG: 9003092254
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE SHENANDOAH BUREAU
DATELINE: BUENA VISTA LENGTH: Medium
"I never had no trouble with the boy," said Lillian Reid, who lives a few trailers up from the Higginses' place in this mountain-shaded park south of Buena Vista.
Higgins, who attended Natural Bridge High School, was charged with murder this week. The victim was his guitar-picking, 48-year-old father, Samuel Higgins.
Rockbridge County Sheriff F.M. "Freddie" Spence said the young Higgins is accused of poisoning his father Feb. 23 with methanol. Methanol, a product of wood distillation, is used in solvents, formaldehyde and antifreeze.
The elder Higgins died in a Charlottesville hospital March 1 of swelling in his brain.
The boy's first name was not released by deputies, but Samuel Higgins' obituary listed his son's name as James. Neighbors said the boy is known as Jimmy.
The young Higgins is being held in a detention center at an undisclosed location. Authorities have declined to discuss the details of the case, including a possible motive.
Reid, who moved here last summer, said she had seen the teen-ager playing ball with the younger children at the trailer park, or helping them up when they fell off their bicyles. "He was real considerate of the smaller children. I'm just sad that he's in such a predicament."
The Higginses' relatives in the area have declined to comment.
But some of the Higginses' neighbors said there were signs James Higgins and his father had a falling out.
"Not too good," said Nelle Braford, when asked how father and son got along. "His dad, he drank some, and I think that was when they had their problems. I felt so sorry for Jimmy, because his dad was all he had, and they didn't get along."
Braford also said the teen-ager had a learning disability, which other children sometimes teased him about. "A lot of people picked on him."
Neighbors described the elder Higgins as a man with a variety of health problems who usually kept to himself, though he sometimes had friends over to play guitars.
"He could play a guitar pretty good," said Richard Hamilton, who lives next door to the Higginses.
The Higginses' trailer has been locked by authorities, Hamilton said.
"I just can't get it off my mind," Hamilton said of his neighbor's death.
Samuel Higgins was divorced from his wife, who lives in Fredericksburg, neighbors said.
Neighbor Mary Keiser said the teen-ager used to visit her two or three times a week to use her telephone - calling his mother in Fredericksburg, collect. She said he sometimes stayed to watch television or talk.
The teen-ager spoke of joining the National Guard when he got out of school, Keiser said. The only thing he complained of about his home life, she said, was having to do the dishes.
"I told him it was good training," said Keiser, adding she and the boy used to "joke and carry on."
"He was nice to me. He did have two sides to him, I guess," Keiser said. "I don't know what was in his head."
Keiser said the elder Higgins had recently bought his son an old car.
Braford said Higgins had tried to watch over his son and see that he did right.
"They weren't bad people at all," Braford said. Of the elder Higgins, she added "We're going to miss him a lot."
Natural Bridge High School Principal Rob Carpenter said Jimmy was a freshman.
He said the 5-foot-10 youth belonged to no athletic teams, clubs or school organizations.
by CNB