Commonwealth of Virginia

Commonwealth's Anorneyfor Wise County & the City of Norton5rre-a-

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For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Charles H. Slemp, IIIOctober 18, 2016

Phone: 276-328-9406

SLEMP RELEASES RECENTLY UNSEALED DETAILS ON

WISE COUNTY'S ONLY UNSOLVED MURDER CASE

Gary R. Short, Sr. was killed by a gunshot wound in a remote area of Pound, Virginia on

May 20, 1988. Since the date of his death, the matter has been investigated by officers,investigators, and detectives from the Wise County Sheriff's Department and agents of theVirginia State Police. The mater has also been reviewed by two Special Grand Juriesempanelled by the Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Despite their tirelessefforts tor 28 years, the case has been called Wise County's only unsolved murder.

Today, at the request of the family of the victim, C.H. "Chuck" Slemp, lll,Commonwealth's Attorney for Wise County & the City of Norton, hosted qn event to release newdetails from the case. Slemp was joined by representatives of the Wise County Sheriff RonnieOakes, the Virginia State Police, and the Short family for the announcement.

On Friday, October 14, 2016, Wise County & the City of Norton Commonwealth'sAttorney Chuck Slemp filed a motion in the Wise County Circuit Court to unseal findings of theWise County Grand Jury in the Short case. An order permitting release of those findings wasentered by the Cqurt that same date.

A copy of Slemp's motion, the Court order, and the Grand Jury Findings is attachedhereto for reference.

Slemp issued the following statement: "Today is an important day for Wise Countyand for the officers who have worked so hard for so many years to find the truth. Most of all,

today is also an important day for the Short family, who has waited 28 years for justice and

closure. I am thankful to join the family of Gary Short today and honor their request to releasethe Grand Jury findings for public inspection. While this is not the justice that we strive toward,the death of both individuals named by the grand jury forecloses the option of prosecution.

Todaiy, our goal is to bring comfort and closure to the family."

A text of Slemp's prepared remarks and a statement trom Wise County Sheriff RonnieOakes is attached hereto for reference.

For more information, contact Chuck Slemp a|276-328-9406.

l

VIRGINIA:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF WISE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF NORTON

In re: The Special Grand Jury Investigationof the

Homicide of Gary Russell Short,

Motion to unseal th" Fir,dings of the special Grand Jurv

COMES NOW THE COMMONWEALTH and MOVES this Honorable Court, per

Virginia Code sec. 19.2-2l3,lo unseal the findings of the 2Ol2 Special Grand Jury

empaneled to take evidence about and investigate the non-natural death of Gary Russell

Short, Jr. In support of this motion the Commonwealth states as follows:

l) On or about 20 May 1988, Gary Russell Short, Jr. was killed by u grrnshot in the

Pound, Virginia area.

2) This matter has been investigated by various sworn officers and detectives in the

Wise County Sheriff s Department.

3) This matter has been investigated by agents of the Virginia State Police.

4) A Special Grand Jury was impaneled to take evidence about and investigate this

matter in 2009. This Special Grand Jury made no findings regarding the homicide.

5) A Special Grand Jury was impaneled to take evidence about and investigate this

matter in 2012. This Special Grand Jury made a two page written finding

concerning the homicide.

6) All persons named in the special Grand Jury's finding are deceased.

The family of Gary Russell Short has requested that the Special Grand Jury's

finding be made public in order to bring closure to this matter.

In accord with the family of the murdered victim, the Commonwealth asks that the

Court exercise its powers, unseal the finding of the 2Ol2 Special Grand Jury, and open

the finding to inspection by the general public.

The Commonwealth Attorney,Wise County & City of Norton

7)

F

Charles H. Slemp, I

01-08-14 Special Grand Jury Findings,Juror List RE Gary Short - file 10114116,10:38 AM

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Statement from Sheriff Ronnie Oakes

"I am thankful to join the Short Family and the Commonwealth's Attorney's

Office for this announcement. This family has endured so much heartache and

they deserve closure and comfort. r

So many members of Law Enforcement both active and retired, from the

Virginia State Police and the Wise County Sheriffs office have tirelessly worked

on this case hoping to bring it to a successful closure. I extend my sincere

gratitude to all those who have worked so hard and just as importantly, cared so

much.

I'm extremely proud of the members of my Department who have worked

hand in hand with Mr. Slemp and the Commonwealth's Attorney's who came

before him all dedicated to justice.') '

REMARKS OF CI{UCK SLEMP, COMMONWEALTH'S A

PRESS EVENT REGARDING THE GARY SHORT HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

Good morning! Thank you all for being here today for this important announcement.

The homicide of Gary Russell Short, Sr. has been called Wise County's only unsolved

murder. For 28 years, countless individuals have investigated the case without finality. That's why

we are here today.

Today is an important day for Wise County. Today is an important day for the Short family.

The family of Gary Short has waited 28 years for justice and closure. I am honored to be joined by

Mr. Short's family. You'll hear from the family in just a moment. We are doing this at their request

and for their benefit.

SLEMP REMARKS P. I

Today is also an important day for those law enforcement o?fi".rr who have worked

diligently since Gary Short's death to find the truth. Many of those officers are here with us today.

First, Wise County Sheriff Ronnie Oakes has worked for years on this case, with a talented

group of investigators who have poured over files, ev.idence, transcripts, interviews, and dusty boxes.

I appreciate the resources Sheriff Oakes has dedicated to this matter throughout the years. I deeply

regret that the Sheriff couldn't be with us this morning. He sends his regrets. We will hear from

Major Grant Kilgore in just a moment who will bring a statement from Sheriff Oakes.

This matter has been investigated by numerous officers and detectives from the Sheriffs

Department and agents of the Virginia State Police. We are also joined by just a few of the

investigators who have dedicated a significant amount of time to this case.'

I am also joined by a couple members of my prosecution team. Ken Lammers and Josh

Newberry have been a part of this investigation since I took over in January. As I promised very

early in my term, we have dedicated hours to this case to ensure that there was no stone left unturned.

As you all know, I have served as Commonwealth's Attorney since January. My

predecessors have also worked hard on this case to find the truth. Since the murder in 1988, there

have been eight different Commonwealth's Attorneys in Wise County.

In 2009, a special grand jury was impaneled to take evidence about and investigate this

matter. This special grand jury made no findings regarding the homicide. In2012, another special

grand jury was impaneled to take evidence about and investigate this matter. This special grand jury

made a two page written finding concerning the homicide. Pursuant to Virginia law, the findings of

the grand jury remained sealed against disclosure and public inspection.

Mr. Short's family approached me with the request to unseal these grand jury findings.

Earlier this year, while reviewing the case files * our team had an opportunity to visit extensively

with the family of the victim. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of all they have been through

since Mr. Short's death. They long for justice and closure.

SLEMP REMARKS P.2

After hearing their wishes, we filed a Motion to Unseal the Find'ings of the Special Grand

Jury. On Friday, Wise County Circuit Court Judge Jeffery Hamilton granted our motion and entered

an order pursuant to Virginia Code Section 19.2-213 and in accordance with the family's wishes to

unseal the finding of the 2012 Special Grand Jury and open the finding to inspection by the general

public.

I now will present you with those findings and the evidence that supports the findings.

On or about May 20, 1988, Gary R. Short, Sr. was killed in a remote part of Wise County in

the Glady Fork section of Pound from gunshot wounds. The grand jury found that "This was a

homicide and not a hunting accident, committed by parties unknown beyond a reasonable doubt."

The grand jury also named two individuals in its findings: the first is a man named Roger Mullins.

The grand jury found that "Roger Mullins was complicit or an accessory to this murder."

The facts of the case, according to our review of the records show that Roger Mullins was the

brother-in-law of Gary Short. Roger Mullins owned property near the location where Gary Short's

body was found. The Short family became fearful of Roger Mullins a short time before the murder

because of statements he made to Short's daughter about something happening to Gary.Roger

Mullins purchased a shotgun * the same type of weapon used in the murder - a short period of time

before the murder occurred.

The day of the murder, Short was supposed to help Roger Mullins paint a boat.

However, despite clear skies, Mullins cancelled and said he was not going to paint the boat that day

because of weather. Instead, Mullins discussed with Short about checking into their common interest

of fishing. According to Mullins, Short checked on places to store minnows for fishing on the day of

the murder.

Before the murder, Mullins was seen by a witness in the Glady Fork section of Pound where

fishing ponds were located and where Short was murdered on that same date.

SLEMP REMARKS P. 3

Roger Mullins was seen a short time after the murder at the house of a witness. Mullins

acted nervous and suspicious even though he had visited that location many times previously. He

told the witness that he was there to look at a vehicle, but after arrival never mentioned the vehicle

again. Instead, he began inquiring about Gary and his family.

Gary Short's wife, Rose, became concerned that she hadn't heard from Gary - who was

punctual. Roger Mullins appeared at her workplace and offered to help her look for Gary. After

others became involved in the search, Roger Mullins attempted to lead the searchers away from

where Short's body was discovered. A trained police tracking dog located the scent of an another

individual other than the victim at the crime scene. The dog tracked th'e scent through the woods

directly to the doorstep of Roger Mullins's house. The scent trail was not the path Roger Mullins

took with the search party. Roger Mullins approached Gary Short's extended family members at the

funeral and admitted responsibility for the death, and said that "Gary's death was [his] fault."

The grand jury also named a second individual in its findings: Roger Mullins's brother -

David Mullins. David Mullins was an investigator for then Wise County Sheriff Bill Kelly. David

Mullins had access to the crime scene and to some of the physical evidence in the case. The grand

jury found that "David Mullins hampered the investigation from the beginning and in the opinion of

the jury committed perjury in his testimony to the jury."

Although the grand jury issued these findings, the grand jury did not issue indictments -

most likely due to the passage of time, the complicated facts of the case, and - in the words of the

grand jury - the hampering of the investigation by Roger Mullins's brother.

Both Roger Mullins and David Mullins are now deceased.

We commend the investigation of the Virginia State Police and Wise County Sheriff Ronnie

Oakes. Investigating this case has been one of their top priorities for over 28 years.

SLEMP REMARKS P. 4

I am thankful for this opportunity to join the family of Gary Short today to honor their

request to release the Grand Jury findings and open them for public inspection. While this is not the

justice that we strive toward, the death of both individuals named by the grand jury forecloses the

option of prosecution. Today, our goal is to bring comfort and closure to the family. Today's

announcement does that.

This announcement wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of former

Commonwealth's Attorney Ron Elkins who convened the 2009 and 2012 grandjuries to review

evidence in this matter. I again want to thank the law enforcement officials who have worked

tirelessly to bring us to this point today. I want to thank the former Commonwealth's Attorneys who

have also worked hard on the case throughout these years and my prosecution team for your ongoing

efforts to keep our community safe.

Most of all, we want to recognize and thank the family of Gary Short - who have shown a

rare determination over 28 years to seek the truth about this tragedy. The dedication of everyone

involved has built to this day, and our ability to bring this maffer to a conclusion.

SLEMP REMARKS P. 5