THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602150390
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
State police have arrested a second suspect in the January slaying of a Navy man, who was gunned down on Route 44 after he confronted an alleged thief in his disabled car.
Aaron Merritt, 24, was arrested Monday night at his Portsmouth home, state police spokeswoman Tammy Van Dame said Tuesday. Merritt, also a Navy man, is stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base.
Merritt was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit grand larceny, Van Dame said.
Police had been looking for a second suspect since the Jan. 14 shooting of Traibeon L. Thomas, 26. A day after the slaying, police charged Cory Delaurencio, 19, with murder, attempted larceny and using a gun in a crime. Delaurencio was arrested at Oceana Naval Air Station, police said. Delaurencio also is a sailor stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base. He is charged with shooting Thomas just before midnight near Thomas' disabled Hyundai, which sat near the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway's eastbound shoulder just west of the Laskin Road exit. Thomas, who was stationed aboard the tank landing ship La Moure County, had returned to his car after calling a towing company. He found a man in the vehicle, confronted him and was shot in the head. Thomas, of Eustis, Fla., died at the scene.
Two people who had helped Thomas arrange the tow sped away when they heard the gunshot and called police. They told police they saw a 1992 white Honda Civic near Thomas' disabled car, Van Dame said. She said Merritt was the driver of the white Honda. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Aaron Merritt was arrested at his home in Portsmouth. He is
stationed at Norfolk Naval Base.
KEYWORDS: MURDER SHOOTING ROBBERY ARREST by CNB