Suspect in triple murder in Grayson County, Va. arrested
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
MOUTH OF WILSON, Va.—A suspect has been arrested in a triple
murder case that sent shock waves through Grayson County and the
entire region last week.
Arrested was 48-year-old Frederic Phillip Hammer, an Ashe County,
N.C. resident who is charged with fatally shooting a prominent
Christmas tree farmer, his son and an employee at a private residence
on Charles Spencer Lane on Jan. 24.
The victims were identified by the Grayson County Sheriff's Office
as Ronald Hudler, 74, who lived in the residence where the shootings
took place; John Steven Miller, 25, of Townview Street in West
Jefferson; and Frederick Donald Hudler, 45 of West Second Street in
West Jefferson. Frederick Hudler was the son of Ronald Hudler.
According to news reports, the Huddlers owned property in Grayson
County, Ashe County and Alleghany County, N.C.
Hammer, a Crumpler resident, was extradited to Grayson from Punta
Gorda, Fla., where he was arrested by U.S. Marshals. Hammer was
originally picked up on a fugitive warrant for a probation violation
and a temporary murder warrant, but was subsequently charged by the
Grayson Sheriff's Office with three counts of capital murder. Hammer
was taken into custody without incident at around 6:30 p.m. on Jan.
26 at his grandfather's residence in Punta Gorda.
According to media accounts, Hammer was on probation for check
charges in Ashe County and one of the conditions of his probation was
that he not leave the state without prior permission.
Hammer made his first court appearance in Grayson County on Tuesday,
according to information from the Sheriff's Office. He was arraigned
in Grayson General District Court on three counts of capital murder
and was transported to the New River Valley Regional Jail, where he
is being held without bond.
State and local law enforcement agents transported Hammer from
Charlotte County, Fla. to Virginia on Monday.
"At the onset of this incident, the Grayson County Sheriff's
Office secured the assistance of federal, multiple state and local
law enforcement authorities in investigating this homicide," stated
information from Chief Deputy Michael S. Hash. "Within hours of the
incident, the investigation team questioned Hammer...who late became
a person of interest."
Sometime after he was questioned, Hammer apparently left the area for
Florida.
"The Grayson County Sheriff's Office is currently pursuing this
and other leads in connection with the murders that occurred on Jan.
24," a news release stated.
The call first came in to the Sheriff's Office at around noon on
Jan. 24. The report stated that a shooting had taken place at a
residence on Charles Spencer Drive off N.C. 16 near the Virginia-
North Carolina state line.
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