ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 26, 1997 TAG: 9702260057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
TROY ALEXANDER thought the bullets hit the floor when he walked into the bedroom and fired at the couple.
Troy Alexander says he just wanted to scare Junior Glass over a $600 car debt. One night last fall, he walked into the bedroom of the East Roanoke County house where Glass and Glass' girlfriend were sleeping and fired several rounds from a .380-caliber handgun.
He thought the bullets hit the floor, he said. Instead, they hit the couple: At least five rounds injured Chastity Elliott, perforating her colon. One round hit Glass in the hip. Both have recovered.
Tuesday, Alexander pleaded no contest to his involvement in the shooting. A no-contest plea concedes that if the case went to trial there would be enough evidence for a conviction.
In return, prosecutors reduced two counts of aggravated malicious wounding to two counts of malicious wounding and dismissed a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon. He also pleaded no contest to two counts of using a firearm during a malicious wounding.
"I feel the evidence they got is more than enough to convict me," Alexander, 23, told Roanoke County Circuit Judge G.O. Clemens.
Investigators said they had eyewitness statements from Glass, Alexander's own admission of his involvement and the account of Alexander's 32-year-old accomplice, Brenda Hearn.
Prosecutors contend that Hearn tipped off Alexander to Glass' whereabouts, hoping to get some crack cocaine in return. In his statement to police, Alexander said Hearn asked him for crack but that he never gave her any.
Hearn invited Glass and Elliott to her Carson Road residence Nov. 4 to smoke crack, according to Roanoke County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Buchanan.
Early Nov. 5, Hearn drove to Alexander's house in Northeast Roanoke and told him the couple was sleeping in her bedroom. She watched as Alexander pulled on a pair of latex gloves, went into his kitchen and wrapped a pink towel around a handgun. Hearn then drove them back to her home.
Once there, Hearn told Alexander where the couple was sleeping. She remained outside, in her truck. Alexander entered the house through an unlocked rear door. After the shooting, Hearn drove Alexander home, then returned to her residence to talk with police.
On Tuesday, Alexander's lawyer, Mark Claytor, denied that the gun used in the shooting was his client's. Police have never recovered the weapon.
Hearn pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and two counts of using a firearm during a malicious wounding. Her charges were taken under advisement and could be reduced at her April sentencing. She faces 28 years to life in prison.
At her hearing, Hearn said she feared for her life and asked that she be placed at the Roanoke County-Salem Jail.
Tuesday, Alexander was ordered to the same jail until his April sentencing. He faces a mandatory eight years in prison on the gun charges and up to 40 years on the malicious wounding charges.
He and Glass also face federal drug indictments. A December grand jury indicted them on drug conspiracy and related charges.
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