ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 14, 1996 TAG: 9610140119
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY STAFF WRITER
Several hours after the body of an elderly woman was discovered in her home Saturday night, a Christiansburg man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
James Reed, 51, of High Street is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond. He is accused of killing Anna V. Lester, 87, of 810 Radford St. at about 5:15 p.m., Christiansburg Police Lt. Gary Brumfield said.
Reed apparently knew Lester and had done some painting and cleaning work at her home, Brumfield said.
Police have not determined a cause of death or a motive for the killing.
Reed was arrested at his home without incident, Brumfield said.
A local merchant, whose business is across Radford Street from Lester's house, said he gave a ride home to a man who approached from across the street on the day of the slaying.
"A gentleman came up staggering drunk, and had blood all over him," said Jorge Eanes, a painter at Eanes Body Shop. The man asked Eanes for a ride, but Eanes refused.
Eanes' father, Gary Eanes, owner of the body shop, later agreed to give the man a ride home.
"I thought he hurt himself. He was pretty drunk. I thought I was helping him out, so he wouldn't get hit [by a car]," Gary Eanes said.
The man had blood on his jacket and shoes and looked like he had been in a fight, Gary Eanes said.
"He had a bruise over his eye and scratches," Gary Eanes said. "He told us he had tried to commit suicide."
Gary Eanes said he did not know Lester well, but helped bring firewood into her home on several occasions. He had never seen Reed before Saturday.
Police were still removing evidence from the small white house Sunday afternoon. The home is isolated from other residences on what has become a commercial strip.
Because of the Columbus Day holiday today, Reed will be arraigned Tuesday in General District Court, according to the Montgomery County magistrate on duty Sunday, who declined to give her name.
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines KEYWORDS: FATALITYby CNB