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

DATE: THURSDAY, November 18, 1993                   TAG: 9311180175
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

WYTHE MAN SENTENCED IN FATAL STABBING

A 32-year-old Wythe County man has been sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his cousin to death.

A jury convicted Leonard Dean Gravely on Wednesday of first-degree murder for killing Christopher Lee Akers, 21, on April 29. Akers bled to death after being cut when the two men got into a fight in a mobile home belonging to Akers' girlfriend.

Sheriff Wayne Pike testified that Gravely, in a statement after his arrest, said Akers' death was an accident. Gravely said Akers fell on the knife in the struggle, although he admitted inflicting a superficial wound.

by CNB