Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 7, 1994 TAG: 9411070074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Police will report their findings to the commonwealth's attorney today in their case against three people suspected of involvement in the killing of an Old Southwest Roanoke woman found last week in the trunk of her car. The three are also linked to an attempted murder in Florida.
What police learned this weekend by questioning the three in a Texas jail was not released, but Maj. J.L. Viar said the trip was "beneficial."
A trio who police believe went on a crime spree across the South were arrested in Amarillo, Texas, early Saturday. A Roanoke detective flew down that day to question them about the death of Virgie Green, 44, of Woods Avenue.
Investigator Neil Tolrud spent less than 24 hours in Amarillo before heading back Sunday morning. Investigators from Florida also flew to Texas, and West Virginia and Tennessee authorities are involved in the case as well.
"We've got them where we need them to get our hands on them at the appropriate time," said Roanoke Commonwealth's Attorney Donald Caldwell, who had not yet spoken with police about the Amarillo trip. "At this time, everything we have is circumstantial."
Lab tests from the Green crime scene have not come back yet.
Paul D. Thompson, 25, and David T. McKeone, 26, both of West Virginia; and Sherry Sprouse, 27, of Pittsburgh will be arraigned today and asked if they will waive extradition to Florida.
Thompson and McKeone were arrested on attempted first-degree murder charges stemming from the carjacking and vicious beating of a 67-year-old Florida man; Sprouse was charged with possession of a stolen car. A warrant against her for attempted murder is expected from Florida officials today.
William Smith of Clearwater was found near death in a pool of blood in his driveway Wednesday, the day after Green's body was found stuffed in the trunk of her car in Old Southwest. Smith's condition had been upgraded from critical to stable Sunday night.
McKeone and Thompson had been staying with Green in Old Southwest for about two weeks, and are believed to have left Roanoke on Oct. 26 bound for Florida. Green was last seen alive on Oct. 25 and her body was found in the trunk of her car last Tuesday. She was killed by a blunt-force injury to the head.
Police have said they wanted to question Thompson and McKeone since discovering the body, but have stopped short of calling them suspects.
If any of the three are charged in the Roanoke murder, Virginia will have to stand in line with Florida and West Virginia officials who have charged the two men with burglary and parole violations, along with the attempted murder charges against all three.
"It's going to be a very long, drawn-out process" because several states are involved, Caldwell said.
Lt. Edward Smith in Amarillo said the suspects were not talking, but he said the Roanoke detective as well as Florida investigators spoke with the three and with other people in Amarillo who knew of the trio's activities. Viar would not comment on whether the three cooperated with the Roanoke detective.
The trio were arrested without incident at acquaintances' homes in Amarillo, where Thompson once lived. Police in Florida had suspected the three might have been heading there, and the two men were arrested at one location at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, after police checked several houses in search of Thompson. Sprouse was arrested at another location, and the stolen Toyota Camry was found parked at a motel. The three have not been charged with any Texas crimes.
Smith of the special crimes unit in Amarillo said he expects more out-of-state charges to come in against the three.
Two of Green's vehicles were missing from her yard: a Nissan that turned up abandoned at a Franklin Road convenience store and a Dodge Ram, which police say was sold to a West Virginia man by either McKeone or Thompson.
McKeone and Thompson met each other while serving time in a West Virginia prison; what Sprouse's relationship to the two is remains unclear.
Keywords:
ROMUR
by CNB