Witnesses 'haunted' by shooting
Posted Mar11, 2008 at 02:36 PM
The sentencing phase in Morva's trial has begun.
Jurors have heard from five witnesses so far, including the woman who worked as a clerk at the Deli Mart on Glade Road in Blacksburg when Morva -- with a loaded shotgun -- tried to rob it in August 2005.
The jury also heard from two women who were nurses at Montgomery Regional Hospital the night Derrick McFarland was killed; both have testified they tried to save McFarland.
Dawn Doss and Melissa Epperly testified today that they have been haunted by memories of that night. Both are in counseling and take medication and suffer from nightmares.
Doss quit working at the hospital. Epperly still works there, but said every time she walks down the hallway where McFarland was shot she pictures the pool of blood he left there. She said she remembers holding his hand and telling him that she had tried to save his life.
Comments
[March 11, 2008 2:54 PM]
Amy St.ClairI think that MORVA should be fried, he did this to all of these families including mine. My family has been haunted since the minute that this has started, with publicity, nightmares, and being flat out scared everytime that our loved one goes on to do his job! No one in life should have to feel this pain, MORVA is a very sick human being! I hope and pray that for ONE time in life that our judicail system will stand up for our rights, and put MORVA in his standing place!
[March 11, 2008 3:52 PM]
Emily HappelI am his sister. I am here to tell everyone that feels any hatred towards a fellow human being is also sick. I pray for you that hatred is not truely in your heart. There are many things that will be said out of anger but remember he also has a family and a mother who love him. Yes, whatever happens he is my brother and will always be loved. And out of respect for any other human being these hateful comments I hope are few and far between. Hatred and wishing death on anyone should never be printed for others to read. It breeds hatred. And in no way is it ever OK to hate anyone.
[March 11, 2008 4:27 PM]
GregSorry Ms. Happel...but hatred is a common human emotion..who are you to tell someone else..especially a victims family member..how to feel?!! That, my dear, is truly SICK! Mr. Morva is a psychopath and deserves whatever punishment is legally constituted.
[March 11, 2008 4:50 PM]
KarenMs. Happel, You do relize your brother killed TWO people. How angery would you be. I know you love your brother, but YOU still have him for now. So in your compassion I hope you understand the anger the families have aganist Morva. The people killed where just doing there jobs, your brother well......Anyway God Bless
[March 11, 2008 4:56 PM]
ReaderI can only begin to imagine the pain of those losing a loved one or facing the loss of a loved one.
I wonder if Jesus would wish someone to get "fried"? Doubtful.....
[March 11, 2008 5:03 PM]
K.J.Light JrI am related to Eric Sutphin. I've never met your brother but I have seen what his actions have brought to Eric's wife, children and mother. They also love Eric as I do. I'll not stand in judgment of your brother, that fell to a jury of his peers. Your brother's final judgment is at hand and it won't be by any mortal man. However, you and your family had best prepare for mortal men to arrange the date and time of it.
[March 11, 2008 6:04 PM]
JasonMs. Happel, You have no right to tell anyone how to feel about your EVIL sibling. If I were you I would be ashamed to admit that such a waste of oxygen was a relative of mine. Further, you and your mother must have loved him dearly to allow him to live on the streets prior to him murdering two people in cold blood. If you loved him so, why didn't you bail him out of jail while he was awaiting robbery charges and allow him to live with you in your home? Didn't love him that much huh? He should count his lucky stars that the officers who found him spared his life, even though they could have saved the taxpayers a lot of money by extinguishing his pitiful life.
[March 11, 2008 8:52 PM]
Marshall D. DowdyMs. Happel,
Although I feel your pain for the loss of your brother, you must also realize that what he has done has affected an entire community. Not only did he take the life of an unarmed man that was performing his duty, he also decided to ambush and cowardly shoot a hometown hero the next day.
He affected an entire community and beyond.
As someone that has to wear a bullet-proof vest to work, I hope he takes a train ride straight to hell so that he can not commit any further horrendous crimes. As this is not his first crime against society I certainly hope it to be his last.
I am appalled by your defense of this animal even if he was your brother. I for one would like to be the one that pushes the plunger!
[March 11, 2008 11:22 PM]
JMs. Happel you have no right to tell others especially the families of these brave men how to feel about your brother. Your brother is not human.Your brother stands convicted of these heinous crimes, not to mention the many armed robberies and attempted robberies prior to. For you to ask anyone to feel compassion for him is absurd. His sentence by man is coming, and no matter what the jury recommends, be certain his sentence from God will be much worse.
[March 11, 2008 11:42 PM]
M MartinMr. Morva's actions have torn apart many families, including his own. Everyone hurts.
[March 11, 2008 11:45 PM]
AnonymousThe only thing I am deeply saddened by other than the deaths of two great friends is that this man has shown no remorse for what he has done. He is not mentally ill. He is just cold blooded. I'm not the judge, nor am I on the jury, but he will get what is coming to him. If he's in prison for life, they'll kill him while he's in there. If he gets the death sentence they'll probably kill him before his time comes. Oops, too bad.
[March 12, 2008 9:30 AM]
AnonymouseI am completely amazed at how much hatred is being directed towards Morva's family, especially by those that are in the law enforcement community. Officers did lose a brother in arms and nobody can deny there is a great amount of hurt. However, doesn't anyone else find it reprehensible that the self-proclaimed officers on the board here are casting down hatred on Morva's FAMILY? How about these "cops" taking "comfort" in the fact that William Morva will pay dearly by all of the unmentionables that will be perpetrated on him during his incarceration? Personally, I would rather be put to death than suffer the years of prison abuse and rapes that William will surely endure....that is much more punishment than meeting one's maker. Is it not?
All law enforcement officers that are raining down hatred and negative comments on the Morva family should be ashamed of themselves. Tarnishing their reputations as well as the reputations of others that "serve and protect" with words of hatred. Classy. True professionalism indeed.
[March 12, 2008 9:38 AM]
nunyaVictim's families and community members, I am terribly sorry for your loss. No one condones the actions of this young man. Everyone is terribly upset. God bless you. You have been and will continue to be in my prayers. Ms. Happel, I am deeply saddend by everything that has happened. At one point in my life I considered myself a friend of your brothers. It is hard to imagine the things that have taken place. Thinking of you as well.
[March 12, 2008 12:18 PM]
justmeMorva sure was afraid to die, but he certainly wasn't afraid to kill. He committied a crime,he was in jail, that't the way it works. If his family wanted to help him they should have done so long before the crimes started.They must have known how unstable he was,normal people don't live in the woods and walk around town barefoot.He killed two good people, with families who loved and depended on them.He ruined the lives of many people. His shots weren't those to wound someone so he could run away, he shot to kill. He sure didn't go to far either, if he was such a"naturalist" he should have been able to hide in the wood and gone a far away and lived off the land. He is a horrible person and needs to be punished. I hate that my tax dollars, clothes and feeds and housing someone like that, he should have the death sentence and it should not be a long drawn out jail time.Morva's family will have to learn how to live with the grief of his death, just as the Sutphin and McFarland families have had too. Knowing you lost your loved one to a dranged person must be so very hard.
[March 12, 2008 12:33 PM]
Deb"Anonymouse" - how do you figure that it's all cops saying mean things to Morva's family? I didn't see one of these comments claim to be in law enforcement - I take offense at the fact that you automatically attacked them and assumed they were the angry ones. Can we all stop pointing fingers? One person is responsible for horrible actions and let's leave it at that.
[March 12, 2008 12:58 PM]
GregAre you really that naieve Anonymouse? So naieve to think that folks, particularly ones that 'serve and protect' us from remorseless psychopaths such as Morva would feel anything less than hate that took one of their own? Hopefully Morva will get your 'wish' for the death penalty....by law he deserves it.
[March 12, 2008 1:52 PM]
JoyWhen someone does something wrong, they have to take responsibility and punishment. Their family may still love them, but their family needs to stand up for what is right, too. The worst case of sinusitis or irritable bowel syndrome or having to wait in jail (again for a crime YOU committed) does not justify murder.
I just do not understand how someone can take the lives of 2 upstanding men who have given so much to the community and who have children who need them.
No one can take back what was done. Nothing that is done can erase the pain of the McFarland and Sutphin families and the countless others affected. At the very least, Morva and his family should display regret, sympathy, and accept punishment.
Murder x 2 deserves the ultimate punishment. Morva did not take pity on these men and I do not take pity on him. I cannot bear the thought of him living while these men are cold in their graves.
And, BTW, I am not a law enforcement officer, but I believe pinning on a badge does not take away your right to express an opinion.
[March 12, 2008 3:59 PM]
Marshall D. DowdyAnonymouse you have to be kidding me!!
Wake up and get into the real world. If you are so outraged why do you hide behind your anonymouse tag! Stand up and proclaim what you believe I did! How about you watch this and see if you still feel the same!
When you have a job that you have to worry constantly whether you are going to come home at the end of your shift then you can sit in judgment. Until then please believe me that when a brother or sister goes down we all feel the outrage and want the law to give the full benefit to the victims of the crimes that are perpetrated up to and including death!.
Why don't you sit and watch this. It is the victim impact testimony of Cpl. Sutphin’s WIDOW and see if you still feel the same way!
http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=7957092
You search your heart and head and see if you can still make uniformed comments like you made. Morva will be a hero in jail, not abused; he killed a cop and a security guard that will give him a special status around other inmates. Yes I am proud to proclaim that I am a Law Enforcement officer and have been so for 24 years. I have too many friends on the wall in Washington DC.
Just last years there were more assaults on law enforcement officers than there have been in many years. It is an epidemic and I for one do not want this guy back on the streets or for that part even breathing to take the chance of him doing it again.
[March 12, 2008 4:00 PM]
Duane HowardI have read everyone's comment and there is "some" valid points raised by many. I grieve for all humane life that is so needlessly taken. I'm more upset at the exteme amount of time, energy and cost with all the media coverage. We all know the horror and grief this person has inflicted upon innocent society. Who the hell cares to see and hear a blow by blow discription of the trail, his picture on the front page of the paper and endless glorification by excessive media coverage. This is what I think is "SICK, SICK, SICK"