Manhunt concludes; murder charge filed

APPOMATTOX, Va. – The victims of a gunman’s violent rampage in central Virginia included the suspect’s sister and brother-in-law, as well as two other adults, three teenagers and a 4-year-old boy, according to authorities who charged the alleged shooter with first-degree murder on Wednesday.

Christopher Bryan Speight, a 39-year-old security guard, surrendered to police at daybreak after leading investigators on an 18-hour manhunt following the slayings at a house in rural central Virginia where deputies found a mortally wounded man and seven bodies.

A bomb squad discovered a multitude of explosives at Speight’s home, and crews were detonating the devices into the night.

Speight had no weapons when he surrendered. He was wearing a bulletproof vest over a black fleece jacket, camouflage pants and mud-caked boots.

Speight was charged with one count of first-degree murder, but other charges are likely. He’s being held at a jail in Lynchburg.

The suspect co-owned and lived in the home where some of the bodies were found Tuesday. David Anderson, co-owner of the Sunshine Market grocery store in Lynchburg, where Speight sometimes provided security, said Speight was worried that his sister and brother-in-law wanted to kick him out of the house. The two recently moved in with Speight, he said.

Speight’s mother deeded the house to Speight and his sister in 2006 shortly before dying of brain cancer. His mother’s obituary listed the daughter as Lauralee Sipe and her husband as Dewayne Sipe.

State police identified the Sipes, both 38, as two of the victims, along with 16-year-old Ronald Scruggs; 15-year-old Emily Quarles; 43-year-old Karen and Jonathan Quarles; 15-year-old Morgan Dobyns; and 4-year-old Joshua Sipe.

Police say Speight knew all the victims, but they did not outline the victims’ relationships or discuss a motive.

Investigators wouldn’t say what type of weapon was used in the rampage.

Neighbor Monte W. Mays said Speight was a good neighbor.

“All the dealings I’ve ever had with him have been cordial and polite,” said Mays, the county’s retired commissioner of accounts. “We got along fine.”

Speight had long been a gun enthusiast and enjoyed target shooting at a range on his property, Mays said. But the shooting recently became a daily occurrence, with Speight firing what Mays said were high-powered rifles.

“Then we noticed he was doing it at nighttime,” and the gunfire started going deeper into the woods, Mays said.