PRESS RELEASE
FEBRUARY 28, 2014

On Thursday afternoon at 1:35 p.m., Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call from 1066 Peaksview Lane, Bedford, Va. The caller advised dispatchers that his 2 year son was unresponsive and not breathing. Bedford County Fire and Rescue units along with Bedford County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. Resuscitation efforts were started at the scene and the child was transported to Bedford County Memorial Hospital, where it was pronounced dead. The victim’s body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke and an autopsy was performed this morning.

JORDON SMITH

Investigators learned that Michael Smith, the father, Shana Witt, the mother, and two children, one 5 years old and the victim resided at the Peaksview Lane residence. The five year old was with a relative and not at the residence when the incident occurred. Michael and Shana are married.

SHANA WITT

MICHEAL SMITH

Last night, Bedford County Sheriff’s investigators charged Shana Marie Witt, age 24, the mother, with first degree murder of the child. The father, Michael Smith, age 25, was also arrested and charged with two counts of felony child abuse and neglect and one count of manufacturing methamphetamines. Both are being held in the Bedford Adult Detention Center on no bond.

PRESS RELEASE
DECEMBER 19, 2013

The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office has made numerous arrests in the illegal activity of narcotics distribution in the past twelve months.   These arrests have been far reaching into the criminal enterprise of illegal narcotics, burglary and thefts within the county.

In 2013, VICE/Narcotics Investigators, along with Criminal Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office began perfecting cases in relation to illegal narcotics activities within the county, and quickly identified numerous individuals tied together in this criminal enterprise. During the weekend beginning on Friday December 13, 2013 deputies, along with Virginia State Police agents, engaged in a round-up of several of these individuals, resulting in the arrest of seventeen people.  Included are these individuals in relation to narcotics offenses:

Bryan Eugene Howell	Samuel Levi Mason	Wanda Gail Mason
2 counts Distribution of Methamphetamine	1 count Possession of Methamphetamine	1 count Possession of Methamphetamine
1 count Manufacture Methamphetamine	1 count of Manufacture Methamphetamine	1 count of Manufacture Methamphetamine

Patrick Kelly Fitzgerald	Cassie Lawhorne Begley	Quen Barrett Hodges
2 counts Distribution of Marijuana	2 counts Distribution of Schedule III Narcotic	2 counts Distribution of Schedule II Narcotic
	1 count of Distribution of Schedule IV Narcotic

Frederick Jaral Staples	Ian Woodruff	Nathan Willis
3 counts Distribution of Crack Cocaine	1 count Distribution of Cocaine	2 counts Distribution of Schedule II Narcotic

Jeffrey Daniel Updike	Dustin Paul Maner	Kenneth Wayne Pollard, Jr.
1 count Distribution of Crack Cocaine	1 count Possession of Marijuana	1 count Possession of Marijuana

Cody D. Campbell	John David Maddox	Sydney L. Seager
1 count Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic	1 count Distribution of Marijuana	1 count Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana
1 count of Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana	1 count Possession of Cocaine

Forrest E. Elliot
1 count of Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana

The following individuals are still WANTED on outstanding warrants:

Damien Laniear Anderson	Eric Eugene Burley	Sidney Puckette
1 count Distribution of Cocaine	1 count Distribution of Cocaine	1 count Possession of Marijuana
KNOWN GANG MEMBER	NO PICTURE AVAILABLE

Jason Tyler Hall	Leigha Bragg Hall	Brandon Bowden
4 counts Burglary	1 count Burglary
5 counts Grand Larceny	2 counts Grand Larceny	2 counts Burglary
1 count Larceny of a Credit Card	1 count of Larceny of a Credit Card	2 counts Grand Larceny
4 counts Credit Card Fraud	4 counts of Credit Card Fraud	1 count Possession of a Firearm by Felon
4 counts Possession of a Firearm by Felon

A Juvenile has also been charged with B&E and Grand Larceny.

Additionally, there are still pending charges that may be filed in relation to all of these incidents.

If you have information on crimes in the County of Bedford please contact the Sheriff’s  Office at 540-586-4800.

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PRESS RELEASE
DECEMBER 3, 2013

On Monday December 2 around 5:30 p.m., Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call from Saunders Road reporting an 11 year old child had been shot in the leg with a bow and arrow. Deputies were dispatched and after arriving on the scene learned that the 11 year old victim had been transported to the hospital by a relative. After further investigation it was determined that a 15 year old male shot the victim with a blow gun not a bow and arrow.

After receiving conflicting stories from the victim and suspect, the suspect was arrested for malicious wounding. He was taken into custody and transported to the Lynchburg Detention Center.

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