(VA) Man fatally shoots home intruder

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Drizzt

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Man fatally shoots home intruder

Travis Wayne Richards, 22, ran about 100 yards, then died, the sheriff said.

By MIKE ALLEN
THE ROANOKE TIMES

A Franklin County man was shot to death and a Martinsville man seriously wounded Sunday night after apparently having the tables turned on them in what the Franklin County sheriff described as a home invasion robbery.

So far, no one has been charged in connection with the shooting, which happened in the 2400 block of Doe Run Road, about four miles southeast of Rocky Mount, said Sheriff Quint Overton.

About 10:20 p.m., emergency dispatchers received a call from Edward Hudson's mobile home. The caller said that someone had broken in and there had been a shooting, Overton said.

Sheriff's investigators interviewed Hudson, 53, and William "Billy" Davis, 29, who was staying at Hudson's home. Davis' girlfriend and two small children who are related to her were also in the mobile home during the shooting, Overton said. He did not identify the woman.

Overton identified the dead man as Travis Wayne Richards, 22. He lived on Old Forge Road between Callaway and Rocky Mount, the sheriff said.

Claude Elton Wray, 25, of Martinsville was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he underwent surgery, Overton said. He was in serious condition at the hospital Monday afternoon.

According to Overton, witnesses gave detectives this account of the shooting:

Two men came in through the front door of Hudson's house and demanded drugs and money. One of the men wore a ski mask and carried a 9 mm rifle.

When Hudson and Davis told the men they didn't have drugs or money to give them, the man in the ski mask began beating Hudson with the butt of the rifle.

Davis reached beneath a sofa cushion, pulled out a handgun , and shot at the man wearing the ski mask. Both of the intruders fled. Davis fired at them as they ran out the door, emptying the handgun, Overton said.

Investigators found a ski mask in Hudson's yard. The man who assaulted Hudson ran about 100 yards down Doe Run Road, then died, Overton said.

An autopsy of Richards' body was conducted Monday, but the sheriff's office had not received results Monday afternoon.

The other man, Wray, remained in hiding during the night, but Monday morning went to a house, told the occupants he'd been shot and asked for help, Overton said.

Hudson was taken to Roanoke Memorial because of the injuries he received during the beating. He was released from the hospital about 4 a.m. Monday, Overton said.

According to Henry County Circuit Court records, Wray was convicted of two firearm-related felonies in 1998 and given four years' probation.

http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story151094.html
 
Yep, not too bright. What kind of home invader carries a 9mm carbine? And what kind of dumb home invader tries a hot burglary in VA?

No results on the autopsy yet? Who needs them? The creep died of one or several gunshot wounds, probably to the chest since it sounds like he bled out fast.

Disturbing point: There were too small children in the mobilehome, but there was a handgun underneat a sofa cushion?

Perhaps Wray started out as a low-level drug enforcer, and after his conviction made him virtually unemployable he advanced to home invasions. It also sounds like the victims in the invasion may not be clean. I can't say the last time I had drug dealers bust in looking for drugs and money.
 
If this had happened in the UK instead of Virginia, by this point in time the homeowner would be in prison, held without bail, the Crown Prosector would be drawing up charges of murder, and the thug who survived would be receiving counselling on how best to proceed with a civil suit against the homeowner at public expense.

Makes me glad I live in The Old Dominion.
 
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Most criminals know that committing hot burglaries in the Commonwealth of Virginia is a right unhealthy profession.

Go across the river to MD. They like criminals over there.
 
Davis fired at them as they ran out the door, emptying the handgun, Overton said.

Given the area he will probably not get charged, but he should be. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!

I agree that the victims are probably not model citizens, but we can't keep them from having guns for being mental giants or trailer trash unless they commit a crime and are convicted.

If we count children and perps I take 36 in the total tooth count pool.
 
Partisan Ranger:

No, rrader, it wasn't. Problem with the written word is it doesn't convey body language. I was just making a general statement.

My apologies then. I incorrectly assumed it was since it came directly after my post.
 
Why do I think that for among all of the people mentioned by name in that article that there's not a complete set of teeth?

:rolleyes:

SW Virginia isn't quite West Virginia ya know. My folks moved there while I was in high school. My wife was born and raised there. She has all of her teeth. :p

Dang, they had to travel Martinsville to Roanoke for treatment. That's a good 40 minutes at high speed (hope they didn't speed through Boones Mill).

Chris
 
Why do I think that for among all of the people mentioned by name in that article that there's not a complete set of teeth?
The only illegal moonshine that I've ever had was given to me by a young lady from Franklin County. That knowledge coupled with the trailer, and the sofa cushion "safe" leads me to agree with Mike.
 
Geez mtnbkr, Does everyone know about the Boone's Mill speed trap. That is a long way from Manassas

I used to live in Roanoke and drive through BM on the way to school in NC. Does the sherriff there still have the camaro?

Chris
 
All I had to do was read this topic and see all the Virginian's!

Humm....

If someone broke in my house with my kids there I would of had a second magazine for them.
 
Davis fired at them as they ran out the door
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Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!
--

I wouldn't be so quick to pass that judgement without more facts.

Did the invaders drop the rifle before running? If so I'd say you have a good point, but our article doesn't state that. If not then what's to stop an armed criminal from ventilating the trailer while hiding behind a tree outside? Letting them flee outside with that rifle while you stood in a trailer house would make you feel safer? Not me!

I'll take any shot offered if armed criminals are in my home. Back-side, front-side, side-side, top/bottom-side. I am not even particular until I see they are no longer a threat. Dropping the weapon would be a very good thing, running with a weapon once the shooting starts is not.

You have only an instant to think and react before instinct for survival takes over. Hopefully you've used intelligence before this because legalities are not much of a consideration after an assault has began. Desperation and luck rule. :)
 
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