Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 29, 1995 TAG: 9508290052
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I want to direct this note first to the Hodges family, Randy and all his brothers and sisters and then to my sons and the rest of the Valley.
I want to explain my absence since the Hodges family were slain and the only way I know how to do that is to tell you what happened to me that Monday morning.
I had a call from a friend and he told me Blaines house had burned down. I next called the Vinton Police dept. and a sarg. Vaught told me to come down. I went almost immediately to the police dept. As soon as I got there the sarg. told me bluntly "That Blaine and Terresa had been killed and Winter and Anah died in the fire"
Only a few minutes later a state trooper started asking me my whereabouts that weekend. I was in such a state of shock that I could just not focus. He then took me to Blaines house where we just sat. I couldn't figure out why we were there and I told him I wanted to go. He took me to my truck and I went back to the room where I was staying. That night or the next, in the middle of the night about 20 police officers showed up, some with their guns drawn with a search warrant. They searched my truck and Room. The next day I went to see Jonathan Rogers the attorney. He read me the search warrant papers.
I think I counted 6 or 7 total lies by the police. They did not misquote me or misunderstand what I said. They totally fabricated the whole story of when I was in the Vinton Police dept. I saw the handwriting on the wall then. I was advised by several attorneys that the best I could do was get out of Va. and stay away from the Vinton Police as long as possible. They had already showed me they intended to violate the law and the truth in this matter. I want to say publically now that if I had any information that could help I would have already have volunteered it.
I have stayed away from the police because they lied and I want to establish that I intend to remain silent in their custody. However in a court of law I will have plenty to say. Again - I want to stress that I don't have any direct knowledge as to who did this terrible crime.
The Blaine Hodges family were my family and Winter and Anah were my daily joys. It tore out my heart as I know it has the Rest of the Hodges.
I have been in and out of Va. and Roanoke the last month, as the police are aware. I have not vanished or fleed the area.
But I have to make a living and I'm going to find a job somewhere.
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