All Photos By Tommy Stafford : ©2010 www.nelsoncountylife.com : Nelson County Deputy Bill McDonald prepares to train with his dog Nicodemus at the old American Yarn Plant in Afton. Virginia. Click any photo to enlarge.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia

By Jennie Tal

Bill McDonald, the Nelson County School Resource Officer, spent one recent Wednesday in an empty building looking for narcotics with his K-9, Nicodemus. And, although it wasn’t a real drug bust, Nicodemus was successful. We first told you about the team in the March 2010 printed issue of Nelson County Life magazine on page 20.

Officer McDonald and Nicodemus were just practicing that day. They’re both members of the Blue Ridge Police K-9 Association, a group of police officers and their K-9 partners who train all day every other Wednesday. The association was formed about five years ago to help train the dogs and their handlers.

“It just sort of formed out of a necessity for area K-9 handlers to train together,” said City of Charlottesville K-9 Officer and Handler Lynn Childers. “Most departments have only one or maybe two dogs and the training you need to do, you need other people to help you.”

Photo Courtesy of Lynn Childers : Charlottesville K-9 Office Lynn Childers and her dog Brett.

Officer Childers said that the 16 hours a month the association trains is really only the minimum that police dogs should be training and that most of the dogs, including her K-9 Brett, get training at home daily.

“A dog needs constant repetition and constant reminders to stay good at what he does,” she said. “There’s a lot of things you can do by yourself, but the group really fills the gap with doing more advanced skills.”

Brett, an 8-year-old German Shepherd, is considered a cross-trained K-9 who does both full police work of tracking and apprehending people and searching for drugs. Nicodemus and Officer McDonald, on the other hand, focus mainly on narcotics, something Officer McDonald says has been extremely helpful to him as a school resource officer.

Deputy McDonald does a room to room search with Nicodemus inside the former American Yarn Plant.

“I think the school credits [Nicodemus] with keeping drugs out of the school by a large margin,” he said.

Just by having Nicodemus, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, around the school, it prevents some students from bring narcotics to class. Likewise, Officer Childers says that by having Brett at her side, suspects are quite often more likely to cooperate.

“Just showing up on a chaotic scene… with a dog really makes a difference in the outcome,” she said. “[Suspects] don’t seem to be as concerned with officers pointing rifles at them as they do with dogs.”

For years, the group has been open to any local police departments with K-9 components, but recently it has attracted some new members. Helene Dodge and her yellow Labrador retriever, Orso, were invited to be part of the association. Orso, a search and rescue dog, specializes in live wilderness searches and human remains detection.

Helene Dodge (left) with her dog Orso along with professional trainer Armin Winkler debrief after a practice search in the old yarn factory.

“This is kind of a different end of the spectrum,” said Dodge. “But they have a really great trainer and he will help me kind of move my dog along and help with some of the weak spots he has in his searching.”

While the officers really do learn from each other, they have some professional help, too. That trainer Dodge mentioned is Armin Winkler who has been training dogs since he was a kid and is now a professional trainer who lives here in Central Virginia. After meeting with the Blue Ridge Police K-9 Association to help with a dog having training trouble and then teaching an annual in-service course for K-9 Handlers, Winkler has become a mainstay in the training program.

Helene and Orso preparing to enter the building on a search.

“All dog training, especially in law enforcement, is what a dog naturally likes to do,” he said. “Like he’s hunting a rabbit.”

The trick is just getting them to do it on command.

“What we do in training is we manipulate the dog to believe that a make-believe rabbit smells like narcotics,” said Winkler. “We give him replacement prey.”

Deputy McDonald and Nicodemus right after a successful search at the training day.

Be sure to check out the print story in the March 2010 issue of NCL, ONLINE, by clicking here!

©2009 www.nelsoncountylife.com : Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks stands with members of Elmo Bowling's family, his father, mother and sister. The defibrillators were dedicated in memory of Elmo Bowling.

Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia
An anonymous donation of $5,000 enabled the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department to reach its goal of equipping every patrol car with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). At the donor’s request, three of the AED units were dedicated in memory of Elmo Bowling. The family of Mr Bowling, his father, mother and sister, were on hand for the presentation at the Nelson County Courthouse earlier this month.

The Sheriff's Office plans to set aside money from future fund raising activities to support the ongoing costs of the AED units.

AED units cost approximately $1600, battery packs $350 and pads $45.00.

©2009 NCL Magazine : Photo By Tommy Stafford : Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks (left) and Helene Dodge, a Special K-9 Deputy, along with Orso at RRES.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
As the school year winds down and summer vacation begins, young minds are on being outside. To help keep children safe while being outdoors, Helene Dodge, a special K-9 deputy with NCSD along with her search dog, Orso, talked to students at Rockfish River Elementary School about safety tips if they should become lost in the wilderness.

Sheriff Brooks demonstrates how a bright orange garbage bag can be used to stay dry and help search teams locate a missing child in the woods.

The program is a cooperative effort between the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department and Saunder’s Brothers, Inc in Piney River to teach children what to do if they ever become lost.

Sheriff Brooks tells one of the students at RRES to have a safe and fun summer!

Students say so long to Deputy MacDonald and his dog.

A similar program will be held on the 1st of June at Tye River Elementary School.

Have a safe summer!

©2009 NCL Magazine : Opal Page from a Rockfish River Elementary School yearbook picture.

Afton/Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks tells NCL Magazine that his department will be conducting door to door canvassing in the Crawford’s Climb-Paul’s Creek areas Saturday afternoon asking residents if they may have seen anything unusual the morning 73 year old Opal Page’s was murdered in her home at the intersection of Chapel Hollow Road and Route 151. We first told you about the murder Wednesday evening after friends discovered the body around 6PM.

Lawmen continue following leads in this case and are making detailed interviews with anyone living in the nearby radius.

Other previous updates here and here.

We’ll continue to follow this story as the investigation unfolds.

©2009 NCL Magazine : VA State Police Investigators at the scene of Opal Page's murder Wedbesday night.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
As NCL has been telling you since we first broke the story of 73 year old Opal Page’s murder, police are still on the search for her killer(s). Mrs. Page’s car was found Thursday in Waynesboro. Police think the murderer stole the car after crime then abandoned it in Waynesboro. Friday Nelson County, Virgina Sheriff, David Brooks, released more information about possible suspects in the case.

“We had a witness turning from Chapel Hollow Road north onto Route 151 around 5 AM Wednesday morning, the day of Mrs. Page’s murder. That driver reported seeing two suspicious males near the driveway of Opal Page’s driveway,” Sheriff Brooks tells NCL. The first male is described as 5′9″ to 5′10″ in height wearing a red hooded zip up sweatshirt. The other male was described as slightly shorter wearing a dark colored zip up sweatshirt and darker colored bluejeans. The witness could not tell the race of either male.

The sheriff continues reviewing video surveillance recordings from area businesses along 151 in hopes of being able to pick up on anything that may help with additional clues in the case. Investigators continued canvassing the neighborhood Friday where Mrs. Page’s car was abandoned in Waynesboro.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department at 434.263.7050.

More updates throughout the weekend.

The crime scene area in Afton, Virginia.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
©2009 NCL Magazine
As we first told you here earlier Wednesday evening, Nelson County Sheriff, David Brooks, is investigating the highly suspicious death of a 73 year old Afton woman just north of Greenfield on Route 151. A short while ago the sheriff told NCL they are asking the public to be on the lookout for the woman’s car that apparently has been stolen.

The car is described as a 1998 – 4 door Cheverolet Malibu, dark green in color. The license tag number on the missing car is: Virginia – YZR 1900

Anyone that spots this car is asked to immediately contact the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department at 434.263.7050, The Virginia State Police, or any other law enforcement authority.

We will continue updating this story as events unfold.

Map courtesy of Google.com : The crime scene area along Route 151 in Afton where authorities are looking into the suspicious death of a 73 year old woman in Afton, VA Wednesday evening. Click map for larger view.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
©2009 NCL Magazine
NCL can confirm this Wednesday evening that state police and local Nelson County Sheriff Dept. officers are on the scene of a highly suspicious death in the Afton, Virginia area just north of Greenfield along Route 151. According to Nelson County, Virginia Sheriff David Brooks, an investigation is underway into the death of a 73 year-old woman living in the Rockfish River Elementary School/Falls’ Grocery area. Deputies were called to the scene after a neighbor found the woman dead in her home.

NCL can also confirm that the deceased elderly woman’s car is missing which escalates the suspicion of authorities that foul play was involved.

We continuing to follow this story and will have additional updates out shortly.

James Lee Spencer, who has been on the run since last week was apprehended Tuesday night in Nelson County, Virginia

Lovingston – Nelson County, Virginia

Nelson County, Virginia Sheriff, David Brooks, reports Tuesday evening just after 9 PM EST, that James Lee Spencer, a fugitive who ran from police last week has been apprehended. “He was found under the bed in his home just off of Davis Creek,” said Sheriff Brooks. The history here. (ignore last post, unrelated)

Sheriff Brooks had long suspected that Spencer may have been hiding in or near the home on Davis Creek Road, and had been watching the area to see if he returned.

Spencer remains in police custody awaiting his initial appearance before a judge.

Central Virginia Crime Stoppers

Lovingston – Nelson County, Virginia

Update: Suspect Captured 11.25.08 9 PM EST

As we have been telling you over the past several days, here, Nelson and Central Virginia law enforcement authorities have been on the search for James Lee Spencer. Today Nelson Sheriff, David Brooks, announced that Central Virginia Crime Stoppers has now authorized a $1000.00 reward for information leading to Spencer’s apprehension.

Sheriff Brooks said as of Tuesday morning the following charges have now been filed against Spencer:
-Felony abduction
-Felony eluding police
-2 Counts of assault & battery
-Driving on a revoked drivers license

The sheriff says the current state Order of Protection (a document providing state court protection against the victim) is on file and continues in force.

Anyone with information on Spencer’s whereabouts are urged to contact Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900. All information is strictly confidential and your identity is never asked for. A special coding system is setup for reward money to be issued.

James Lee Spencer is wanted by the Nelson County, Virginia Sheriff after a search Thursday came up empty.

As NCL broke and first told you here and here, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department (NCSD) is on the lookout for the man pictured above. James Lee Spencer’s photo was released this morning. His photo was on file from a previous arrest.

Spencer ran from police as they were trying to serve court papers on him involving a domestic abuse case. He was involved in a brief pursuit in the Davis Creek Road area of Nelson County just northwest of Lovingtson. Authorities searched for Spencer well into the evening but were unable to locate him. At the time of the pursuit, Nelson County Sheriff, David Brooks, said he was showing aggressive behavior and should be consider dangerous.

Anyone that has any information on Spencer or sees anyone like the man above is asked to call the NCSD at 434.263.7050

A Nelson County Sheriff Deputy searches a truck believed to have been driven by the suspect. Photo by Diana Garland

Near Lovingston – Nelson County, Virginia

Update 5:20 PM EST
Sheriff David Brooks tells NCL that a search of Spencer’s home came up empty. He is still at large at this point as the manhunt continues. Spencer’s general description is a white male, 6 feet and thin build.

Earlier posts:
Update 3:30 PM EST
Sheriff Brooks tells NCL they have located the earlier described truck at the fugitive’s home off of Davis Creek Road. They have a perimeter setup around the area and are continuing their search while other officers obtain court orders to go more in depth in their search.

Law enforcement officers surround a home while in pursuit of fugitive, Lee Spencer. Photo by Diana Garland

A tactical team and search dog is on the way to the scene of an aerial and land manhunt in the Davis Creek – Perry Lane area of Nelson County north of Lovingston and west of U.S. 29.

The sheriff was in the process of serving Lee Spencer a misdemeanor warrant for domestic abuse when he fled and a pursuit began by authorities.

The sheriff is urging residents in the area to lock their doors and call the Nelson Sheriff’s office at (434) 263-7050 if you the truck described or any other suspicious activity in the area.