THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 14, 1995 TAG: 9503140347
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Richard S. ``Ricky'' Hogarth, 30, an ex-convict wanted in the killing of his girlfriend and wounding of her step-grandfather in Elizabeth City, was arrested early Monday in Virginia Beach.
A Suffolk police officer had spotted him in Suffolk driving a stolen car, pursued him, and radioed state police when the driver fled.
Hogarth, of the 3200 block of W. Main St. in Elizabeth City, was being held in Norfolk City Jail without bond on robbery, abduction and firearms charges, police spokesman Larry Hill said.
He was scheduled to be arraigned today at 9 a.m. Detainers have been filed, pending extradition to North Carolina for the murder and wounding, Hill said.
Police said Hogarth had fled to Tupelo, Miss., then to Daytona Beach, Fla., and to parts of southern Georgia after the shootings. He was returning to Virginia Monday morning when he was spotted by Suffolk police.
His capture ended a two-state manhunt that started after Tracy Crafton, 24, was shot to death about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday in North Carolina. She was killed in the parking lot of the Zoom-In gas station and convenience store on U.S. Route 17 north of Elizabeth City.
Her step-grandfather, Ron Revering, 47, of the 1200 block of Homestead Drive in Virginia Beach, was shot twice and remains hospitalized at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
After the shootings, police said Hogarth drove to the 9400 block of Atlans St. in Ocean View where, at gunpoint, he stole a car of an acquaintance, Stephen Brock.
It was that car, a gray 1989 Acura, that Suffolk police officer D.L. Brannen spotted at 1:40 a.m. Monday on North Main Street in Suffolk.
Hill said Brannen recognized the license plate number on the stolen car. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver sped away.
Hogarth tossed a handgun out a car window along Route 13 while he was being pursued, Hill said. Police on Monday were looking for the gun.
As the chase headed east on U.S. Route 58 toward Bowers Hill, Brannen radioed for assistance and told dispatchers to alert state police.
Tammy Van Dame, a state police spokeswoman, said the early warning gave troopers enough time to move into position to pick up the chase. Additionally, police in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach were alerted and police units were sent to interstate interchanges to block the exits and make sure Hogarth could not get off the highway.
Just before 2 a.m., troopers used a ``rolling roadblock'' to hem in the Acura with their cars, bringing it to a stop near Indian River Road in Virginia Beach. Hogarth was arrested there, Hill said.
Crafton, who had been living with Hogarth after meeting him three weeks earlier, had become frightened of him and had called her grandparents to come get her.
The grandparents arranged to meet Hogarth and Crafton at the Zoom-In, about half a mile from Hogarth's house.
Shirley Revering said they arrived and found that their granddaughter had been beaten. When Ron Revering asked Hogarth if he was responsible, he said he was and then told the man he was going to kill him.
Seconds later, Crafton was shot through the temple with a .380 semiautomatic handgun. Then the gun was turned on Ron Revering, who was shot five times.
Shirley Revering told police Hogarth then took aim at her, but that the gun was out of shells. MEMO: Staff writer Larry W. Brown contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
JOHN C. BELL
Police arrest Richard S. ``Ricky'' Hogarth, shown on videotape at
right in handcuffs, on U.S. Route 58 near Indian River Road.
KEYWORDS: MURDER ASSAULT SHOOTING ARREST by CNB