ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220090
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
A CHRISTIANSBURG MAN remains in jail after his arraignment Thursday, charged with killing his estranged wife.
As counselors tried Thursday to soothe children and adults troubled by the slaying of a Christiansburg woman, family and friends worked to raise money for her four children.
Angie Knowles died early Wednesday, about three hours after being shot in the abdomen at her home at 109 Evans St. She moved there with three of her four children - the fourth is away at college - last month to separate from her husband of 22 years.
Michael Knowles was arraigned Thursday in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. He is being held without bond in the county jail pending a May 23 preliminary hearing, charged with murder and malicious wounding. He also is charged with breaking and entering and firearm charges.
Police say Knowles broke into his estranged wife's home armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. The couple's 18-year-old daughter, Vanessa, called 911 to report the break-in, then joined her mother in a struggle over the weapon, said police Investigator Barry O'Rourke. Michael Knowles fired the gun, fatally wounding his wife and grazing his daughter's finger, O'Rourke said.
Knowles stepped outside, fired a shot at police, - and an officer returned fire once - before he returnedand put down the shotgunafter an officer shot back, O'Rourke said. When Knowles headed back outside without the shotgun to yell at police, his daughter took the gun out the front door. Officers then tackled and arrested Knowles.
Within hours of Angie Knowles' death, a fund was set up for her children at First National Bank in Christiansburg. Family and friends ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Fund for Children of Angie Knowles, P.O. Box 600, Christiansburg 24073.
Monday at 7:30 p.m., a choral concert at Christiansburg High School will be dedicated to Knowles, who supported her children's schools and organized the high school's after-prom party.
Kathy Habeeb, a family friend, said this year's party will be dedicated to Knowles.
``She was just an instrumental person in this school; I don't know a student here that wasn't touched by her,'' said Christiansburg High principal George Porterfield.
Porterfield said teachers are meeting with students during planning periods to counsel them on their grief. Counselors also have come from other schools and organizations to work with students.
Employees of the post office where Michael Knowles worked as a rural carrier met with a counselor Thursday morning, according to Cheryl Alls, manager of post office operations.
``We are concerned about our employees and we have offered counseling to his [Michael Knowles'] children and his wife's family, too,'' Alls said.
Angie Knowles' funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Christiansburg.
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