I had met the Blacksburg man who went on a killing spree

The shock is just now wearing off. I had met Bill Murva some years ago at Bollo's Coffee Shop in downtown Blacksburg, very close to the Virginia Tech campus for those of you unfamiliar with the area. I used to go to Blacksburg on Friday afternoons when life in Roanoke and Salem got a bit boring. One time this strange kid in his early 20s came in. He was barefoot, and smelled or looked dirty. He was out-going and sociable, but I felt uncomfortable around him. Bill seemed to be well-liked, and apparently had many friends in Blacksburg. He took to outsiders. I saw him a second time when he waved at me from across the street next to Bollo's. I was looking for my car to go back to Roanoke when he spotted me and waved at me. I rarely try to avoid people, unless I went to high school with them but even then I usually try to be nice. Nevertheless, I really did not want Bill to see me and at the time. I was walking in a darkened area far from a streetlight, and the fact that he saw he bothered me. I did eventually wave back.  I wasn't sure why I felt disturbed by him. He was barefoot, which seemed even odder then because I recall it was a cold month when this second encounter took place. But, I don't think anyone who knew or met Bill Murva could have foreseen this happening. I feel sick and disgusted by what he did, and for the families of the two men he murdered. I am sure it will be a long time before the families of the Montgomery County police officer and the hospital security guard heal from this. The only redeeming thing is that no one else was killed. I vehemently oppose capital punishment, but I never sympathize for people who engage in such heinous, awful crimes. He certainly deserves life imprisonment. Virginia Tech was also shaken up by this as the whole school was closed down on Monday for the first day of classes. Hopefully, all will be back to normal very soon.

 

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The Roanoke Times' web site: http://www.roanoke.com