SPRING FORWARD: Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead as daylight savings time ends this weekend.
March 4, 2020
Our 203rd year | Vol. 203, No. 10 | www.Fauquier.com | $1.50
Witness implicates defendant in murder trial By James Ivancic
Special to the Fauquier Times
TIMES STAFF PHOTO/COY FERRELL
Myison Ellis is escorted to the Fauquier County Circuit Courthouse Tuesday, March 3.
Victims of fatal house fire tentatively identified as Richard Lee and Natalie ‘Niki’ Thompson
A witness testified in Fauquier County Circuit Court Tuesday that she saw Myison I. Ellis with a gun on Aug. 26, 2019, the night 18-yearold Lincoln Williams Jr. was shot and killed. Lucretia Robinson took the stand during the second day of Ellis’ trial for first-degree murder. In addition to the murder charge, Ellis, 39, of Waynesboro, is facing charges for use of a firearm in a felony and conspiracy to commit robbery. Robinson said that after she drove him to Williams’ home on Old Auburn Road outside Warrenton, “Ellis opened the door and said, ‘I’ll be right back.’” “While he was gone, did you hear anything unusual?” asked Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attor-
State turnout breaks 2008 record By Coy Ferrell
Times Staff Writer
By Robin Earl
Times Staff Writer
See FIRE, page 5
See MURDER, page 4
Biden wins big in Fauquier and Virginia
Arts community remembers the couple’s contributions A man and a woman who died in a house fire at 8113 Dulins Ford Road in the Orlean area Feb. 26 have been tentatively identified. Police believe the victims are Richard Lee Thompson, 88, and his wife, Natalie "Niki" Thompson, 83, according to Sgt. James Hartman of the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. The residence is the home of the Thompsons, and they were reported to be the only occupants
ney Abigail Owens. “I heard a car pull up behind us. After a period of time I heard a gunshot,” about 15 to 20 minutes after their arrival, said Robinson. She said Ellis was carrying a backpack when he returned to the car. “To my knowledge, he was still carrying the gun,” she said. Robinson, who is also facing charges in the Williams shooting, testified that Ellis said, “If he hadn’t fought back, I wouldn’t have had to pop him,” referring to the victim. Robinson also testified that during the drive back to a residence on Vint Hill Road, Ellis threw two items out the car window -- one was a shoe and the other, “by its shape was a gun.” The items were dropped in the
TIMES STAFF PHOTO/COY FERRELL
Voters check in at the polling place in Bradley Elementary School’s gymnasium.
INSIDE Business.............................................11 Classified............................................26 Communities......................................20 Horse Sports.......................................14
Joe Biden won a decisive victory Tuesday in Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary with 53.8% of the vote, beating runner-up Bernie Sanders by 30 percentage points. Biden also received the most votes in Fauquier County, with 52.4% of the total. All results listed here are unofficial. Virginia was one of 14 states and one territory voting on “Super Tuesday.” Fourteen candidates were on the ballot in Virginia, but only five candidates were still in the race by See PRIMARY, page 2
Lifestyle..............................................17 Opinion.................................................8 Obituaries...........................................24 Sports.................................................13
88 DULLES, VA
JOHN S. Nice to have a company that can do everything - plumbing, HVAC, and electrical - and save the customer time and money. I recommend Appleton Campbell highly.
AC FauquierTimes_StripAd.indd 1
540.348.2904 appletoncampbell.com
2/7/20 11:09 AM