Va man pleads guilty to killing 8, shooting copter

By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press /  February 15, 2013
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Five months after the shootings, a judge sent Speight to a state mental hospital for treatment after a psychologist found the defendant was too mentally ill to assist his lawyers or stand trial. The case remained on hold for the next couple of years as attorneys dealt with pretrial motions and awaited additional mental evaluations.

The shooting victims included Speight’s sister and her husband, Dwayne Sipe, both 38, and their 4-year-old son Joshua. Also killed were Morgan Dobyns, Lauralee Sipe’s 15-year-old daughter from a previous marriage; Morgan’s friend Emily Quarles, 15; Emily’s boyfriend Scruggs, and her parents, Karen and Jonathan Quarles, both 43.

Speight also was charged with firing at a state police helicopter, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.end of story marker

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