Published: June 25, 2008 09:02 pm      

Murder indictment returned

McDowell County grand jury sees 38 individuals named in one-day session

WELCH — In a one-day session that ended Wednesday afternoon, a McDowell County grand jury returned indictments against 38 individuals, including one indictment on a charge of murder in the first degree, and three indictments on attempted first degree murder.

The grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Robert Wayne Johnson Jr., 43, of Anawalt with murder in the first degree, nighttime burglary by breaking and entering, nighttime burglary by entry without breaking and petit larceny related to the alleged Jan. 20, stabbing death of an O’Toole man, 71-year-old Joe Mallory.

The grand jury also returned a 7-count indictment against Jerry Johnson, 28, of Jolo, charging him with two counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of malicious assault, one count of wanton endangerment with a firearm, one count of brandishing a deadly weapon and one count of shooting within 500 feet of a building or crowd relating to an incident that allegedly occurred on thanksgiving Day, 2007, outside the S&M Market in Jolo.

The grand jury also returned an indictment charging Donald Ray Harman, 45, of Warriormine with one count of attempted first degree murder, one count of malicious assault and one count of brandishing a deadly weapon related to an alleged stabbing incident on May 3, in Warriormine.

The grand jury also returned an indictment against Vicky Lynn Nunley, 33, of Canebrake, charging her with one count of attempted first degree murder, one count of malicious assault, one count of wanton endangerment with a firearm and one count of brandishing a deadly weapon related to an incident Aug. 19, 2007.

Details of a fourth indictment on attempted first degree murder were not available Wednesday afternoon.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com