Person Page - 6999

     William Blaine Hodges was buried at Mountain View Cemetery, 1300 Mountain View Road, Vinton, Roanoke Co., Virginia.³ His Social Security Number was 228-70-6372.⁴ He was born on January 27, 1953 at Rocky Mount, Franklin Co., Virginia.^2,3,4,6,7 He married Kathy Kay Keith, daughter of James Lewis "Jim" Keith and Helen Mae Burnette, on December 13, 1969 at Rockingham Co., North Carolina.¹ William Blaine Hodges and Kathy Kay Keith were divorced on August 27, 1979 at Roanoke, Virginia.² William Blaine Hodges died on August 29, 1994 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 41.^3,4,5,6,8 He Authorities filed a search warrant Thursday in the investigation of the slayings of a Vinton family of four, indicating they apparently have a solid lead in the case. The search warrant affidavit, in which police usually spell out their evidence, was immediately sealed by Roanoke County Circuit Judge Kenneth Trabue, barring the release of any information about who or what police might be investigating. But the search did not appear to produce any major breaks in the case. "There are no new major developments to report in this investigation today and I have no additional information other than that provided [Wednesday]," Vinton Police Chief R.R. Foutz wrote in a news release eight hours after the search warrant was filed. He added that he was "pleased with the progress of the investigation." Thursday, at the Vinton Police Department, detectives continued to interview relatives of the Hodgeses, who were found slain early Monday after their East Virginia Avenue home was set afire. Autopsy results revealed that Teresa Hodges, 37, was strangled. Her husband, William Blaine Hodges, 41, and their two daughters - Winter, 11, and Anah, 3 - died from gunshot wounds to the head. Blaine Hodges was shot once in the left temple with a small-caliber weapon. His two daughters were each shot twice - once in the temple and once in the forehead - with a similar weapon. Hodges' body was found in an upstairs bedroom; his daughters were found in another upstairs bedroom. Downstairs, investigators found Teresa Hodges, burned over 90 percent of her body. She had not been shot. She was found face down and partially clothed. Dr. David Oxley, deputy chief medical examiner for Western Virginia, said his office is still awaiting results from lab tests that may answer a number of questions - including whether Teresa Hodges had been sexually assaulted. "We're still working on a lot of things ... and at some point we're going to wrap up what is a very strange case," Oxley said. As the police investigation enters a fifth day, details of the Hodgeses' whereabouts over the weekend remain unclear. Teresa and Blaine Hodges went to Charlottesville to attend an Amway meeting that began about 8 p.m. last Friday, according to friends. The couple were representatives for the national product-sales company. Winter and Anah Hodges stayed with a relative that night. After the two-hour business meeting, the Hodgeses - along with a small group of other Amway associates - went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. According to John Lamb, a Charlottesville Amway distributor who was present that night, the group stayed at the eatery until midnight. Friends say the couple returned home to Vinton about 3 a.m. Saturday. About 1 p.m. Saturday, Lamb said, he spoke with Blaine Hodges on the telephone. "I was just talking to him about the [Amway] business," Lamb said. "He was excited about the future." Amway associates went to the Hodgeses' home Sunday night for a business meeting. The Hodgeses did not answer the door, their two vehicles were in the front yard and a note was taped to the porch door, saying there was an emergency and that they would return late Sunday or early Monday. The note apparently was written by Teresa Hodges, friends said. The fire was reported at 5 a.m. Monday. The murders continue to haunt residents in Vinton. "Everybody's concerned and frightened and bewildered," said Lotus Ferris, who lives near the Hodgeses' home. "It's a sick, frightened feeling," she said Thursday. Calls were pouring into Obenchain's Flowers in Vinton this week - all to order floral arrangements for the Hodgeses' funeral today. "There are a lot of loving thoughts," said Frances Obenchain, owner of the flower shop. "The whole community is just devastated." on September 2, 1994.⁹

     His Social Security Number was 308-10-4581.⁴ Vernon Marion Wright was buried at Lutherania Cemetery, Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana.^2,5 He was born on January 27, 1903 at Roanoke Co., Virginia.^1,2,5,3,4 He married Clara Jane Keith, daughter of Charles Madison "Charlie" Keith and Zula Ellen "Zulie" Eanes, on December 30, 1930 at Wytheville, Wythe Co., Virginia.¹ Vernon Marion Wright and Clara Jane Keith were divorced on May 2, 1936 at Roanoke, Virginia.¹ Vernon Marion Wright died on December 18, 1990 at Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana, at age 87.^2,5,4

     His Social Security Number was 218-38-4981.¹ Terrance Neal Gehr was born on September 6, 1943.¹ He married Joyce Lee Eanes, daughter of William Joseph "Joe" Eanes and Gertrude Virginia Taylor, on October 5, 1963 at Frederick, Frederick Co., Maryland.¹ Terrance Neal Gehr died on March 9, 2013 at Redondo Beach, Los Angeles Co., California, at age 69.^1,2

     Her Social Security Number was 214-46-8818.² Carole Ann Shaver was born on December 13, 1946 at Marcus Hook, Delaware Co., Pennsylvania.^1,2 As of March 7, 1964,her married name was Eanes.³ She married Billy Joe Eanes, son of William Joseph "Joe" Eanes and Gertrude Virginia Taylor, on March 7, 1964.^1,3 Carole Ann Shaver died on June 4, 2005 at Camden, Kent Co., Delaware, at age 58.^1,2,4 She Carole Ann Eanes of Camden died of natural causes Saturday, June 4, 2005, in her home. She was 58. Mrs. Eanes was born Dec. 13, 1946, in Marcus Hook, Pa., daughter of the late Otho Galen Shaver and Margaret Elizabeth "Peggy" Sickman Shaver. She received her LPN License from the Delaware Tech Terry Campus. Mrs. Eanes worked at Courtland Manor/Westminster Village Health Center in Dover and Capitol Nursing Home in Dover. She also helped caring for homebound children for Nurses N Kids at Home, Inc. and other private duty nursing. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Bryanna Nichole Eanes. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Billy Joe Eanes of Camden; a son, William Joseph Eanes of Camden; two daughters, Tara Marie Kemp of Dover and Linda Gale Boone of Florida; four brothers, Edward Shaver of West Jefferson, N.C., Thomas Shaver of Louisiana, David Shaver of Florida and Robert Shaver of Johnson City, Tenn; a sister, Diane Stenson of Florida; and five grandchildren, Angela Eanes, Kimberly Eanes, David Eanes, Michelle Kemp and Timothy Winkler. on June 7, 2005.¹