A search warrant return filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court over the weekend shows investigators took a sweatshirt, hairs and the 1992 Toyota Camry belonging to David Metzler.
Metzler's body was found inside the automobile and the body of Heidi Childs was found outside.
-- Shawna Morrison
Heritage Baptist Church's website appears to be temporarily down for many users. We've embedded their live stream of Heidi Childs' and David Metzler's funerals here on The Roanoke Times' breaking news blog as a service for those who were unable to access the church's site.
For more on the services, see our earlier post.
-- Meg Martin, online editor
The funeral services for Virginia Tech sophomores David Metzler and Heidi Childs, who were found shot to death in Montgomery County last week, have begun streaming live at Heritage Baptist Church in Lynchburg.
Metzler's service began at 1 p.m., while Childs' is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
Watch the live stream on Heritage Baptist Church's Web site.
Lt. Brian Wright with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office just released the following:
"Investigators from our Office are seeking to speak with anyone who was in the area of Caldwell Fields or the Jefferson National Forest Shooting Range on Craig Creek Road between the times of 8:00 a.m. Wednesday August 26 and 8:00 a.m. Thursday August 27.
We would like to speak with anyone who was in or around these areas during this time-frame regardless of whether they believe they have information that may be helpful. It is possible that they may unknowingly have information that could assist in the double homicide investigation being worked by our Office. We are asking them to call (540) 382-2951."
The funeral services for Virginia Tech sophomores David Metzler and Heidi Childs, who were found shot to death in Montgomery County last week, are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. today at Heritage Baptist Church in Lynchburg.
Metzler's service will be at 1 p.m., while Childs' will be at 3 p.m. Each service will be streamed live on Heritage Baptist Church's Web site at www.hbclynchburg.com.
Burials for both Metzler and Childs will immediately follow the funeral service at Virginia Memorial Park in Forest, according to a Virginia State Police media release.
Because of expected heavy traffic for the funeral procession, police advise motorists to avoid U.S. 221 (Lakeside Drive/Forest Road) from the intersection of U.S. 221 and U.S. 501 in Lynchburg west into the Forest area of Bedford County (see a map) from 4:30 to about 6:30 p.m.
From today's Roanoke Times:
"They were great people, wonderful students, they loved life and had great friendships, and most of all they loved the Lord." -- Jeff Highfield, Campus Crusade for Christ at Virginia Tech
Follow the investigation here as it unfolds.
According to the website of Lynchburg's Heritage Baptist Church, funeral arrangements have been made for Heidi Childs and David Metzler, Virginia Tech students from the Lynchburg area who were found apparently shot to death in the Caldwell Fields section of Jefferson National Forest Thursday morning.
A viewing for Heidi Childs will be held Sunday, Aug. 30, at Tharp Funeral Home between 3 and 6 p.m. Her funeral will be held in the Heritage Baptist Church worship center the following day at 3 p.m. [obituary | guest book]
A viewing for David Metzler will be held between 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, in the chapel of Heritage Baptist Church. His funeral will be held the next day -- Monday, Aug. 31 -- Heritage Baptist Church's worship center at 1 p.m. [obituary | guest book]
On Friday night at Lynchburg's Heritage Baptist Church, about 80 friends and family members talked informally about David Metzler and Heidi Childs in the same room where the two had played the guitar and sung many times.
Will Honeycutt, who taught a young adult Bible study class that the two attended this summer, said the whole church community was grieving.
"We are a family, and when one member suffers, we all suffer," he said. "It wasn't only a loss for their parents, it was a loss for all of us."
-- Jorge Valencia
Virginia Tech students pass by a wreath laid for David Metzler and Heidi Childs at the war memorial on the Virginia Tech campus Friday afternoon. Photo by Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times
Virginia Tech students who knew David Metzler and Heidi Childs are heartbroken by their deaths and remember the couple as caring people who were committed to their faith in Christ, said Jeff Highfield, director of Campus Crusade for Christ at Tech on Friday afternoon.
About 100 people attended an impromptu, student-led memorial service for Metzler and Childs on Friday afternoon outside the War Memorial Chapel on the Drillfield.
Highfield said both of the students were involved in the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry and most of the students at the memorial are also in the organization.
"They're still somber, sad and grieving the loss of their friends," he said about the crowd.
The 45-minute gathering included prayers and singing, including the hymn "It Is Well with My Soul," and some sharing of stories about Metzler and Childs, said Highfield, who attended the service.
"They were great, sweet, kind, loving and caring. Both of them loved Jesus deeply," he said about the two students. "They're just loved by a lot of people."
Highfield said he knew Metzler and had met Childs. Metzler was a leader of a small group Bible study for freshmen this year.
Highfield said the two students were known for living out their faith in Christ, and people looked up to them. "We can grieve because we miss our friends but we know that they're with Jesus," he said.
-- Sharla Bardin
Heidi Childs and David Metzler pose together in a photo from Childs' Facebook page.
The Rev. Gerald Kroll, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church where the Metzler and Childs families attended, said church members have been hit hard by the deaths of the two teenagers. “Everybody’s pretty emotional right now, because it tears us up. They were both godly young people. They were the cream of the crop.”
Sarah Baker, who now lives in Tennessee but was in Youth Group with Metzler and Childs at Heritage Baptist, described them both as role models. “She was wonderful, one of those innocent, shining stars that give you hope for the next generation. And David was very honest and helpful. He was following in his father’s footsteps as a man of integrity.”
“She was very bubbly, very vivacious and full of life,” said longtime friend Nicole Settje. “And he was an all-around nice guy. He was just a sweetheart who loved everyone and would let you know he loved you."
-- Rex Bowman
