Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 21, 1992 TAG: 9201210266
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: David M. Poole
DATELINE: OAK LEVEL LENGTH: Medium
HANDYS' ESCAPES PUZZLE DEPUTIES
Animal-sacrifice rituals are not the only occurences at the Handy farm that have given investigators pause.On at least two occasions, Henry County sheriff's deputies thought they had members of the Handy brothers surrounded in buildings on the farm - only to have them inexplicably escape.
That led to rumors that the 15-acre farm was equipped with tunnels and other secret passageways.
A Jan. 13 raid of the property turned up no secret hiding places - but failed to explain the earlier escapes.
A search warrant affidavit filed in Henry County Circuit Court relates the following two incidents:
Deputy sheriff Paul Gilley said that he and at least one other officer once went to the farm to serve H. Douglas Handy with a civil court document.
The two officers arrived and spotted Handy run into the house. As one officer watched the outside to make sure Handy did not flee, Gilley went inside and thoroughly searched the house but could not find Handy.
"The other officer," according to the affidavit, "never saw Handy leave."
On another occasion, Deputy Sheriff Doug Prillaman said he and several other officers went to the Handy farm to arrest one of the three brothers - Doug, Jerry or Jackie.
Deputy Doug Prillaman said all three brothers were seen running into a shed that had only one door. Officers watched the door and waited for the brothers to come out. After a few minutes, the officers entered the shed and searched the building thoroughly.
"The Handys were nowhere to be found and the officers left empty-handed," according to the affidavit.
Sheriff H.F. Cassell said he did not believe there was anything mysterious about the incidents. The officers probably were mistaken when they thought they had all exits covered, he said. - DAVID M. POOLE