Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 4, 1990 TAG: 9004040706
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B5 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Steven E. Rea, 16, blamed Emily Walker for breaking up his parents' marriage, his lawyer, Henry A. Conner Jr., said Tuesday.
A lawyer for Steven Rea, 16, one of those being held in the murders, said in a statement that Rea "obviously is remorseful over these events and wishes they had not occurred. However, there were circumstances which led up to this, one of them being that he blamed Emily Walker for the breakup of his father's and mother's marriage," Henry Conner said.
Conner stopped short of saying Rea admitted shooting the Walkers.
Emily Walker, 40; her husband, Larry Walker, 42; and their older son, Eddie, 17 were fatally shot March 25 at their Henrico County home, police said. All three were shot in the head.
"Steven's father admits that at one time he and Emily Walker were romantically involved but had no idea his son was aware of this," Conner said.
Rea's father lives several blocks from the Walker home. Rea's mother lives in Florida.
Meantime, an attorney for Christopher M. Palmer, 16, another suspect in the case, said his client was asleep at home when the three victims were slain.
"I'm 99 percent sure he wasn't there," said Palmer's attorney, Michael Morchower. "The most he's guilty of is being an accessory after the fact - a misdemeanor."
Palmer, Rea and a third suspect, Jackie Lynn Kulp, 14, are charged with three counts of capital murder each in the slayings.
Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney James S. Gilmore III said he intends to seek prosecution of Rea and Palmer as adults, in which case they could receive the death penalty if they are convicted of capital murder.
Kulp is too young to be prosecuted as an adult, Gilmore said.
by CNB