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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 16, 1993                   TAG: 9305160006
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

BREAK-IN, RAPE SUSPECT TRACKED TO FOREST HIDE-OUT

A man who may have tried to fake his own drowning has been located after an intensive search and arrested by the Wythe County Sheriff's Department.

Willie Lon Rice II, 26 - charged with grand larceny and breaking and entering in connection with two recent break-ins and an unrelated charge of rape of a 16-year-old girl - was captured Friday night in Jefferson National Forest off Virginia 717.

Sheriff Wayne Pike said Rice had a 9-millimeter pistol with him when authorities raided his camp and arrested him.

Eighteen sticks of dynamite and other firearms also were recovered. The state police bomb squad was called in to handle the explosives.

Two break-ins at homes along U.S. 52 last week caused investigators to focus their search for Rice in the 100,000 acres of National Forest land.

They used night-vision goggles, camouflage gear and other equipment in an extended search.

Rice was among six Wythe County residents arrested in January in a series of break-ins. He was free on bond awaiting trial.

Last month he disappeared in the New River area of eastern Wythe County and his clothing was found on a bank of the river. - Southwest bureau

by CNB