Replacement husband gets trial date
Barbara Shifflett Morris escorts second hubby Butch Morris to a September preliminary hearing.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
Alvin "Butch" Morris, the man accused in the 1988 murder of Roger Lee Shifflett, was indicted by a grand jury yesterday and is scheduled for trial April 13, 2009, on first-degree murder, robbery and use of a weapon in commission of a felony charges. Morris married Shifflett's widow, Barbara, shortly after the father of five was slain at the Southwind Gas and Grocery on Route 20 south.
At a September 18 preliminary hearing, Morris' DNA on a cigarette butt found at the crime scene, his conflicting stories to police and his first wife's testimony led a judge to find probable cause and move the case to the grand jury.
UPDATE: Terry in the Albemarle Clerk's office says the trial starts April 13.
3 comments
My comment is for Morris' current wife, how can you stick by him
knowing that he murdered your husband and let your children grow up without thier father. Obviously he killed him to get to you, and was successful. I don't understand that, that cannot be alright with you spirit.
My comment is for JC, the author of the previous "reply/post" - Unless you are heavily involved in investigation, prosecution, or defense in this specific trial and case... you have NO right whatsoever to conclude and/or decide that this man is guilty of what he has been accused of. Are you basing your ignorant and reckless opinion and statement simply from the very little that has been written about this case in the papers... or are you somehow connected to the family or friends of the man that was murdered, and are therefore totally bias and one-sided in your opinion regardless. Whatever the case may be, you should be ashamed of yourself to write what you did. Who are you judge this man and his wife with such words? Before you decide to write such obviously ill-informed and ignorant slander, you should look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if your spirit is ok with this, ok with hurting and defaming two people and their loved ones, who as far as you know could be totally 100% innocent and wrongfully accused!
FA, OJ was found innocent too so I guess we will have to wait for the verdict after all the facts are in. There does appear to be a motive and the police wouldn't persue this unless the pieces fit but we shall see.