
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 13, 1991                   TAG: 9102130652
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

WOUNDED SHERIFF RECOVERING/ GREENE OFFICER'S ATTACKER FOUND DEAD

Greene County Sheriff William L. Morris was in fair condition at the University of Virginia hospital Tuesday and a physician said he's expected to fully recover from gunshot wounds.

Morris was shot Monday morning by Edward Morris, who was found dead of a single gunshot wound at his home in Ruckersville about five hours after shooting the sheriff and barricading himself inside. The men are not related.

The 47-year-old officer underwent surgery Monday night and his condition was upgraded from critical to fair Tuesday morning, hospital officials said.

Sheriff Morris and Deputy Deane Fish were escorting the man's wife, Arbustus, to the estranged couple's home on Virginia 629 when shots were fired from inside, authorities said.

The deputy returned four shots but was not injured, police said.

Morris, sheriff since 1983, was shot in the jaw and the shoulder, said hospital spokesman Tom Doran.

Greene County Chief Deputy Lt. Phil Thacker declined to speculate on how Edward Morris died. It was not clear whether Deane's shots struck the gunman, who was at the front door of the house.

Edward Morris was a sheet rock worker for a Charlottesville construction firm. His body was taken to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy.

by CNB