THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 6, 1994 TAG: 9412060400
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE AND JODY SNIDER, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: COURTLAND LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Three teenagers have been charged with capital murder, accused of robbing and abducting a man outside an Isle of Wight convenience store, then beating him to death and throwing his body in the Nottoway River.
Divers found the body of 47-year-old Merrell W. Britt before noon Sunday. The three teens - ages 15, 16 and 17 - were charged several hours later.
Isle of Wight Investigator C.B. Nurney said the three youths are suspected in several attempted robberies and were looking for drug money and ``the thrill.''
The three suspects, one from Suffolk and two from Isle of Wight County, were arrested Sunday at their homes. They are being held in a juvenile detention center in Chesapeake.
On Monday, Southampton County Sheriff Vernie W. Francis Jr. released few details of the killing. But police said they believe Britt was outside the 7-Eleven convenience store at the Airway Shopping Center in Isle of Wight when he was abducted Nov. 28.
One day after Britt was reported missing - and before authorities knew he was dead - police began to watch the store because of reported robbery attempts there.
Nurney said the suspects ``made an attempt to get their hands on the others they robbed, but the others got away.
``They just got their hands on this one.''
On Saturday, after investigating rumors heard on the street, police decided that Britt had been murdered.
Divers with the Southampton County Sheriff's Department found Britt's body in the Nottoway River, near the Hercules Inc. chemical plant west of Franklin.
Britt, an employee of Union Camp Corp., was apparently beaten to death.
An autopsy had not been completed Monday.
Sheriff Francis said police believe Britt was killed in Southampton County, but he would not elaborate.
``Until it all comes together, I can't comment,'' he said Monday.
Each of the suspects is charged with capital murder, robbery, abduction and a firearms charge. Because they are juveniles, their names were not released.
One suspect reportedly bragged of the slaying, said Isle of Wight's sheriff, C.W. Phelps.
Other sources said the youths apparently knew Britt, who had lived in Isle of Wight County all his life and was one of five children. Relatives did not want to discuss the killing Monday, but one said the convenience store - about eight miles from Britt's house - was frequented by many in his family.
``Most of us have been there,'' the relative said. ``We can all imagine it.''
Police found two of the suspects partly because they were identified by state police as driving Britt's car the night he was thought to have been killed, Phelps said.
Britt's Mazda was involved in an accident Nov. 28 in Sussex County, and the two occupants - who later turned out to be two of the suspects - were treated at, and released from, Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, Phelps said.
At the time of the accident, Britt had not been reported missing. No charges related to the apparent use of Britt's car had been filed Monday.
According to Phelps, the firearms charge was lodged because the suspects are accused of using a gun to abduct Britt. ILLUSTRATION: Staff map
WHAT HAPPENED
1. Merrell W. Britt, 47, is abducted Nov. 28 outside an Isle of
Wight convenience store.
2. Divers find Britt's body in the Nottoway River on Sunday
morning.
Three teens - ages 15, 16 and 17 - are charged later Sunday with
abducting Britt, beating him to death and throwing him in the river.
Police believe Britt was killed in Southampton County.
SOURCE: Sheriffs' departments.
KEYWORDS: MURDER ABDUCTION ROBBERY CONVENIENCE STORE by CNB