Man suspected in Virginia murder case arrested in Troup County
A man suspected of murder in Virginia is behind bars in Troup County, officials said Tuesday.
Kenneth Staples, 41, was arrested Tuesday after law enforcement spotted his truck on New Franklin Road in LaGrange, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Stewart Smith.
The sheriff’s office had been notified by Virginia authorities that a murder suspect might be heading to the area, Smith said. Staples was believed to be driving a stolen white Ford F-150 with an Alabama tag.
Virginia murder suspect just arrested in Troup County. Earlier today the Troup County Sheriff’s Office was notified...
Posted by Troup County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, April 28, 2020
A Troup deputy and a LaGrange police officer stopped a vehicle matching the description about 11:30 a.m. and took Staples into custody.
Police in Clifton Forge, Virginia, had been looking for Staples in connection with the death of 41-year-old Brandon Wright.
Clifton Forge officers went to a home for a wellness check about 1:30 p.m. Monday, the department said in a Facebook post. From outside the home, the officers saw a man lying on the floor. They then “made forcible entry” and discovered the man was dead, the post said.
Updated Press Release for 907 Jefferson Avenue Suspicious Death. Town of Clifton Forge
Posted by Town of Clifton Forge Police on Tuesday, April 28, 2020
The death was initially classified as “suspicious.” It is not clear how investigators determined the incident was a murder or how police connected Staples to the death.
Staples was booked into the Troup County Jail, Smith said.
In other news:
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
