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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 27, 1994                   TAG: 9405270117
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GIRL SHOT IN MURDER-SUICIDE IS IMPROVING

Alesia Petty, the 9-year-old Buchanan girl shot in the stomach by her father on May 15, is recovering steadily, according to her uncle.

"She's improving more every day," said Danny Petty, though he said he's not satisfied that she's completely out of danger. He expressed concern that infection might still be a problem.

Alesia was shot by her father, Sammy Petty, outside the Moose Lodge in Buchanan, where he was to pick her up two Sundays ago. Petty killed his estranged wife, Shelby Petty, and her boyfriend, Harold R. "Rennie" Houck, in the same incident. He later drove home and killed himself inside his car.

Alesia was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery and was moved to Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley the following Friday, where she is recovering, according to her uncle.

He said that after Alesia is released, she will be taken in by another uncle, James E. "Eddie" Petty of Natural Bridge.

by CNB