Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 26, 1993 TAG: 9302260468
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MANASSAS LENGTH: Medium
MEN CHARGED IN TROOPER'S DEATH HELD WITHOUT BOND
Two men accused of killing a state trooper were ordered held without bond Thursday.Prince William County General District Judge Wenda Travers ordered the defendants in the death of Trooper Jose Cavazos, 50, held until a preliminary hearing April 21.
Police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said the 9mm semiautomatic handgun recovered in their stolen car was purchased in Texas.
Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert told the judge he would seek the death penalty against Lonnie Weeks Jr. of Fayetteville, N.C. He is accused by the other suspect of being the gunman who killed the trooper early Wednesday, police said.
Weeks, 20, and his uncle and co-defendant Louis Jefferson Dukes, 21, of Washington, D.C., are charged with capital murder, use of a gun to commit a felony and theft of the auto they were driving.
A court affidavit said Dukes told police he was driving the car southbound on Interstate 95 when Cavazos stopped them and asked that they leave the car.
"Dukes stated that his attention was drawn to approaching traffic, and while looking to his left, he heard several gunshots. When he looked, he saw the trooper face down on the ground," the affidavit said.
Weeks got in the car and drove to a gas station, where the vehicle was abandoned, according to the document.
Ebert said the car was reported stolen during the last week in North Carolina.
Only Weeks faces the death penalty, because Virginia allows only one person to be sentenced to death for a single crime, although more than one suspect may be charged with capital murder, Ebert said.
Gov. Douglas Wilder has ordered state flags flown at half-staff in honor of Cavazos until his burial Saturday.
Keywords:
FATALITY HEADSHOT OF DUKES RAN IN THE METRO EDITION.
LONNIE WEEKS JR. ACCUSED OF BEING THE GUNMAN LOUIS JEFFERSON DUKES FACES CAPITAL MURDER CHARGE
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.