Published: March 23, 2009 08:44 pm      

82-year-old’s death investigated as homicide

GRUNDY, Va. — The death of an 82-year-old Buchanan County woman is being investigated as a homicide, police said Monday.

Eva Charles Ward of Grundy was found deceased with a wire around her neck, according to a press release issued by Sheriff Ray Foster.

Foster said deputies responded over the weekend to a report of a possible homicide in the Little Prater area of Buchanan County. Upon arrival, deputies found the woman deceased.

Foster said Ward’s body was sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Roanoke. The sheriff’s department was still awaiting a medical report Monday before making a ruling on the woman’s official cause of death.

During the course of the investigation, Foster said authorities traveled Saturday to a residence in Tazewell County where another person was found deceased. Foster said police believe the second individual died as a result of an apparent suicide.

The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is working with Tazewell County authorities, including the Richlands Police Department, on the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Foster said. “Further updates will be released as information becomes available.”

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com