Belle writes: Federal prosecutors yesterday dropped capital murder charges against Darrel Rice for the May 1996 slayings of two women in Shenandoah National Park. There are stories in the Progress and the Post.
I hiked the AT that year, and was quite relieved when Rice was caught. I have a hard time believing that Rice didn’t kill Lollie and Julianne, but I figure that the feds know more than I do.
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on four six and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #
Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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>>>I hiked the AT that year, and was quite relieved when Rice was caught. <<<<<
I am glad you were relieved but the odds in favor of you undergoing an attack are probably about the same now as then.
I am glad you were relieved but the odds in favor of you undergoing an attack are probably about the same now as then.
Perhaps. But remember the circumstances. Two girls along the AT were murdered in their tent. There were no leads. I — along with hundreds of other hikers — were hiking northward towards that area of the AT, the whole while being interviewed by the FBI and seeing posters in each town and shelter warning us that the killer may be among us. In fact, I hiked with the FBI’s prime suspect for a week; turned out that he was, in fact, a heavily-armed murderer, just not the right heavily-armed murderer. (The FBI hauled him in and sent him back to the Oregon insane asylum from which he’d escaped. I and my friends got a pancake breakfast for our troubles.)
All of this is to say that while you may be right, it really doesn’t mean much while hearing twigs crack in the dark forest at night, while camped just a day’s walk from the site of the murders.
What is your point?