Person Page - 6986

     Deborah Jean Owens Deborah Jean Owens, 49, of Christiansburg, was called to her heavenly home on August 6, 2007. Born in Perth Amboy, N.J., she spent most of her adult life in the New River Valley. She is survived by her parents, Cecilia and James Owens of Christiansburg; her children, Melissa DiRico and husband, Carl, of Christiansburg; Eric Wirt and wife, Danielle, of Christiansburg; her sisters, Suzanne Webb and husband, Mitch, of Mt. Crawford; Cindy Dove and husband, Robert, of Viera, Fla; Patricia Frazier and husband, Aaron, of Christiansburg; several nieces and nephews; special friend, Billy Smith; and dog, Chantz. She is also survived by three beautiful grandchildren, Joseph and Jacob DiRico and Haliegh Wirt, all of whom she cherished and adored. Interment will follow in Sunset Cemetery, Christiansburg.³ She was buried at Sunset Cemetery, 501 South Franklin Street, Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^3,4 Her Social Security Number was 294-56-1053.⁶ She was born on January 2, 1958 at Perth Amboy, Middlesex Co., New Jersey.^1,2,3,4,6 As of June 1, 1977,her married name was Wirt.¹ She married Steven Lewis Wirt, son of James Lloyd Wirt and Peggy Jacqueline Linkous, on June 1, 1977 at Radford, Virginia.¹ Deborah Jean Owens and Steven Lewis Wirt were divorced on March 13, 1984 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.² Deborah Jean Owens died on August 6, 2007 at Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 49.^3,4,6,5

     Carl Edward DiRico III Carl Edward DiRico III “Punky”, 51 of Hiwassee, VA and formerly of Pembroke, VA departed this life March 13, 2023 at his home. Born in Virginia on August 22, 1971 he was a son of Mary Jane Austin of Dublin, Virginia and the late Carl DiRico Jr. Carl enjoyed working on cars, hunting, fishing, and followed wrestling. Carl is preceded in death by his father; stepfather, Robert Austin; great-grandmother, Rebecca DiRico, and cousin, Chris DiRico. Left to cherish his memory are his children, Joseph DiRico of Pulaski, VA, and Jacob DiRico of Hiwassee, VA; grandchildren, Kaiden Smith, Jace DiRico, and Amethyst DiRico; mother, Mary Jane Austin of Dublin, VA; brothers, Vince DiRico of Christiansburg, VA, Robert DiRico; and sisters, Tina Fleeman (Jerry) of Narrows, VA, Tanya Austin (Patrick Morris), and Linda Liu (Kevin).⁵ He was born on August 22, 1971 at Radford, Virginia.^3,5 He married Melissa Ann Wirt, daughter of Steven Lewis Wirt and Deborah Jean Owens, on February 23, 2002 at Radford, Virginia.^1,2 Carl Edward DiRico III and Melissa Ann Wirt were divorced on August 17, 2009 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.⁴ Carl Edward DiRico III died on March 13, 2023 at Hiawassie, Pulaski Co., Virginia, at age 51.⁵

     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