ROANOKE TIMES  
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996                  TAG: 9605090080
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO  
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
      Published correction ran on May 10, 1996.
         William Ray Lindsey was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with 13 
      years suspended, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in last 
      year's killing of a wythe county man with an ax. A story Thursday gave 
      an incorrect sentence.


AX MURDERER TO SERVE 17 YEARS

William Ray Lindsey, a 36-year-old transient, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder in the September ax murder of a Wythe County man.

Lindsey admitted killing Jabe Ferguson, 33, of Rural Retreat, whose body was found near the Rural Retreat Lake campground.

Lindsey was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison, with 13 years suspended.

He and Kerri Ann Kohler, 39, who was traveling with him, were charged with murder after apparently talking about Ferguson's death while drinking with others at a Kingsport, Tenn., motel.

The charge against Kohler was later dismissed.

Lindsey and Kohler had stayed at various area homeless shelters and were camping at the lake when the murder occurred.


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