Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1992 TAG: 9202050076
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
WYTHE MAN CHARGED IN 1990 PULASKI MURDER
A Wythe County man has been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of Timothy Dean Prim following a 21-month investigation.Ronnie Allen Weatherman, 22, of Route 3, Wytheville, was arraigned here Tuesday morning. He was arrested without incident Monday night at his home by members of the Wythe County Sheriff's Department, working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies in Pulaski County.
Authorities also have a second suspect, whose name was not released and who apparently is cooperating in the investigation.
They said the evidence uncovered so far tends to indicate that robbery was the motive for the killing of the Allisonia man.
Weatherman also is charged with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. No bond or trial date was immediately set. He was being held in the Pulaski County jail.
Prim, 27, was found shot to death May 3, 1990, by a hunter at the base of Gatewood Dam. He had been shot several times.
No witnesses could be found at the time. The joint investigation by the Pulaski Police Department and Pulaski County Sheriff's Department focused on trying to retrace Prim's activities before he was killed.
The departments set up their first joint task force to pursue the investigation because of the time required to interview people and develop leads.
A statement from the Pulaski Police Department Tuesday morning said the investigation had remained a high priority for the past 21 months.
Investigators went to a number of states as far away as Alabama to follow up leads.
Police said hundreds of potential witnesses were interviewed and thousands of hours were spent in the investigation.
The statement said the name of the second suspect would not be released yet. Charges against that suspect are pending.
Police also declined to reveal the source of information leading to the identification of Weatherman and the second suspect.