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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 26, 1993                   TAG: 9305260243
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ron Brown
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PISTOL STILL MISSING IN FATAL SHOOTING

Police have not been able to locate a pistol that killed an 18-year-old Roanoke man, who died Monday night after suffering what witnesses say was an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Police said James Elwood Otey was found dead around 8:45 p.m. at his apartment in the 1700 block of Downing Street Northwest.

"Somebody had apparently picked up the pistol," a police spokesman said.

Still, police said they found no evidence of foul play in the shooting of Otey, 18, at the Lincoln Terrace housing complex.

In separate interviews with police, two witnesses told police identical stories about how Otey had removed a clip from a pistol and was spinning the gun around on his finger.

Police also have been unable to locate the clip.

About 100 people had gathered around the apartment as police were conducting their investigation.

Investigators asked that the gun be turned over to police, but no one came forward with the pistol.

The gun apparently had one round left in the chamber when it discharged.

Otey's body will undergo an autopsy today.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB