Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 29, 1991 TAG: 9103290578
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELANIE HATTER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Short
Guy C. Turpin, 38, of Willis also faces charges of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and shooting at a vehicle, Floyd County Sheriff's Investigator Jerry Yopp said.
Turpin was in the Floyd County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. No court date has been set.
Benjamin Saunders, 39, was still in serious condition late Thursday at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He was wounded with a .22-cal iber pistol shortly before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday as he sat in his pickup truck on Virginia 768 near his house in the Indian Valley section of Floyd County.
He was airlifted to the hospital by Life-Guard 10.
A warrant for Turpin was obtained Wednesday night and he was arrested Thursday morning at his home, two miles from Saunders' house, Yopp said.
Authorities have not found a motive for the shooting.
The driver's side window of Saunders' truck was smashed by bullets and authorities found several bullet holes in the truck, Yopp said. A suspect fled on horseback after the shooting.
In a feature story in the Roanoke Times & World-News earlier this month, Turpin said his ambition in life was to be a cowboy.
Since 1984, he has traveled back and forth to Wyoming where he worked on the Melody Ranch as a horse trainer and rodeo rider.
The Floyd County native works as a blacksmith, mainly shoeing horses.
by CNB