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

DATE: TUESDAY, April 19, 1994                   TAG: 9404190171
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FRANKLIN COUNTY SHOOTING VICTIM DIES OF WOUNDS

A Franklin County man who was shot several times Friday in the head and lower body died early Saturday.

Robert Jarrells of Route 3 in Ferrum died about 1:30 a.m. Saturday at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, according to Franklin County Sheriff W.Q. Overton.

An anonymous phone tip led deputies to a field between Ferrum and Crossroads where they arrested Curtis Deel, 45, without incident shortly after 5p.m. Friday, Overton said. Deel later was charged with attempted murder and using a gun to commit a felony.

Overton said Monday that Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood will decide in the next few days whether to upgrade the attempted murder charge to capital or first-degree murder.

Reached Monday night, Hapgood said he plans to make a decision by Wednesday.

``I think everybody agrees the charges should be upgraded,'' he said.

Jarrells, 59, was shot at his home around 11:30 a.m. Friday. Police say Deel subdued Jarrells' wife, Judy, by wrapping a phone cord around her neck. Judy Jarrells managed to escape and run for help.

Overton said Judy Jarrells knows Deel, but investigators do not believe Robert Jarrells knew him.

Deel has not been arraigned and is being held without bond, Overton said.

Investigators found three addresses listed for Deel in Bassett, Dickenson County and Pittsylvania County.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB