
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 23, 1993                   TAG: 9304230233
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

KEY WYTHE BURGLARIES WITNESS IS SOUGHT

A key witness in the prosecution of five Wythe County residents charged in a series of burglaries is missing.

The Sheriff's Department is looking for Willie Lon Rice, 26, whose clothing was found Monday morning on a bank of the New River. Authorities considered the possibility of a drowning, and divers made a search but found nothing.

Rice is facing five charges of breaking and entering and one of possessing stolen property.

The prosecution also found that it had overlooked presenting a charge of breaking and entering against another defendant, 24-year-old Tyrone Lee Coates, to the grand jury April 12. That charge may be presented later.

Indictments for breaking and entering were secured against Beauie Alexander Dennison, 20; George Phillip Painter Jr., 29; Derek Sean Lilly, 18; and Elizabeth Lambert, 35. Lambert is scheduled for trial June 3.

- Southwest bureau

by CNB