Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 21, 1993 TAG: 9305210274
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Rice faces several break-in and grand larceny charges and one rape charge. He had been missing since a grand jury indicted him April 19 on four felony burglary charges.
His arsenal of firearms and explosives led Jefferson National Forest Acting Supervisor Arlene Fields to close a section of the forest to the public while a search was made to see if Rice had set booby traps.
The closed area is bounded by Virginia 717, U.S. 52, Forestry Road 206 (Big Bend Road) and Interstate 77.
Officials from the Sheriff's Department; U.S. Forest Service; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms searched the area Thursday for explosives. The closure order remained in effect Thursday.
Some of Rice's belongings had been found on a bank along New River, but a search by divers turned up no body and the investigation into his disappearance was treated as a missing person instead of a drowning.
The Wythe County Sheriff's Department had been searching an area of Jefferson National Forest north of Wytheville, and narrowed the search area by mapping where some recent break-ins had happened.
Sheriff Wayne Pike likened the search to a military operation. Authorities spent about 10 days and nights in the woods, working around the clock.
U.S. Forest Service personnel helped with the search. The Wytheville Police Department and state Alcohol Beverage Control Board helped in the investigation.
Using night-vision goggles and other equipment, authorities worked out a search pattern and eventually located Rice's campfire.
Rice was armed with a pistol, but authorities gave him no chance to resist arrest when they closed in last Friday, Pike said.
Other loaded weapons valued at more than $17,000 were recovered nearby, along with 22 sticks of dynamite that were taken out by the state police bomb squad.
Rice apparently was building a place to live in the forest, authorities said. He had cut logs, built some rock structures and diverted a spring.
by CNB