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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 29, 1994                   TAG: 9403300017
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

MONTGOMERY MAN FACES ATTEMPTED-SLAYING CHARGE

Thomas Harry McGuire Sr., 45, of Winesap Road in the Walton community, was charged March 19. Ten weapons, including handguns, rifles and two sawed-off shotguns were recovered from McGuire's home when a search warrant was executed several days later.

He also faces a charge of writing letters containing threats to kill, a charge of assault and battery and an additional charge of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office stated in the search warrant that McGuire went to the home of Linda Lou McGuire on the evening of March 18, "grabbed Ms. McGuire by her hair, dragged her outside to the porch, sat on her throat and put a handgun to her head and stated he was going to kill her."

Deputy Karen Price stated in the search warrant that Linda McGuire "got her hand into the trigger guard to keep Mr. McGuire from being able to pull the trigger."

The weapon McGuire is accused of holding on her, a .38-caliber Colt, was one of the 10 weapons police seized during a search of his residence, police said.

The morning after the alleged assault, tactical teams from the Sheriff's Office, Virginia State Police and Virginia Tech - including a state police armored vehicle and a canine unit - surrounded Thomas McGuire's home at dawn to arrest him, Lt. J.T. Whitt of the Sheriff's Office said. The plan was initiated because McGuire has a history of fleeing, Whitt said.

McGuire was ordered to come out of the house and was arrested when he came out a rear door. McGuire is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond, Whitt said.