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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991                   TAG: 9103140254
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: STAUNTON                                LENGTH: Short

SECOND SUSPECT IN WHITLOCK CASE PLEADS INNOCENT

Ronald Lee Henderson, who faces the death penalty on a capital murder charge, was arraigned during a pretrial hearing, defense attorney Jeffrey Ward said.

The trial, which will be moved to Winchester because of extensive publicity, is scheduled to start March 25.

Henderson was charged along with Tommy David Strickler, who has already been convicted and sentenced to death, with the abduction, robbery and murder of Leann Whitlock, a JMU student from Roanoke. Whitlock's death was caused by a large rock that was dropped on her head.

Henderson was arrested in Oregon last year after spending six months in hiding, and fought his return to Virginia until early November. - Staff report