GUILTY VA - Melanie Wade, 37, murdered, Staunton, 23 Feb 2018 Arrest

JerseyGirl · Feb 26, 2018

Deborah Ann Bennett, 60, was seen Friday afternoon minutes after the shooting of Melanie Wade, 37. Wade died the next day at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Police are still seeking the suspect in the killing, 22-year-old Orion J. Painter. He is charged with second-degree murder in Wade's shooting death.

Bennett was last seen in the area of the shooting and was driving a silver 1999 Jeep Liberty with a Virginia license plate of VNT-8427. Police said she was with Painter and believes Bennett is related to Painter. When asked if Bennett was with Painter willingly, "We're unsure."

Following the shooting, police searched the home, located at 106 South Sheets Street, and found drug paraphernalia and a stolen motorcycle in the basement.

Bennett has a distinctive mole on her forehead and is about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.

https://www.newsleader.com/story/ne...ng-woman-last-seen-slaying-suspect/373504002/

LisaWL7TR · Feb 26, 2018

JerseyGirl said:
Deborah Ann Bennett, 60, was seen Friday afternoon minutes after the shooting of Melanie Wade, 37. Wade died the next day at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Police are still seeking the suspect in the killing, 22-year-old Orion J. Painter. He is charged with second-degree murder in Wade's shooting death.

Bennett was last seen in the area of the shooting and was driving a silver 1999 Jeep Liberty with a Virginia license plate of VNT-8427. Police said she was with Painter and believes Bennett is related to Painter. When asked if Bennett was with Painter willingly, "We're unsure."

Following the shooting, police searched the home, located at 106 South Sheets Street, and found drug paraphernalia and a stolen motorcycle in the basement.

Bennett has a distinctive mole on her forehead and is about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.

https://www.newsleader.com/story/ne...ng-woman-last-seen-slaying-suspect/373504002/

http://www.whsv.com/content/news/Mi...eved-to-be-with-murder-suspect-475181453.html

According to the Staunton Police Department, a 60-year-old woman has been reported missing and is believed to be in the company of the man accused of murdering Melanie Wade.

Deborah Ann Bennett is described as a white female standing about 5-feet, 2-inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and a distinctive mole on her forehead.

She was last seen in the 100 block of South Sheets Street on February 23 around 1:30 p.m., when police responded to the scene of a shooting and found Wade with a gunshot wound that would later prove fatal.

Bennett was driving a 1999 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, with Virginia registration VNT-8427, and was in the company of 22-year-old Orion Painter, believed to be responsible for killing Wade.

He is wanted for second degree murder.

According to people with knowledge of the family, Bennett is related to Painter.

Darling136 · Feb 27, 2018

Here is a bit on relationship between the two, she wad the wife of his father (not saying if she is also mother or rather stepmother). The murdered perdon seems to have been in relationship eith him. His father died recently
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsleader/obituary.aspx?n=james-painter&pid=188262133&fhid=15122

Wolf Dreamer · Feb 27, 2018

Orion's FB says he was engaged to Melanie
https://www.facebook.com/orion.painter

Deborah's FB - nothing on it https://www.facebook.com/deborah.bennett.31392

The OG · Feb 28, 2018

I am local and travel the immediate area for my job. I saw a vehicle that matched the description with license plates removed. I called it in. The missing person has ties to Norfolk and Virginia Beach. I believe she is the suspect's stepmother and may be with him willingly

The OG · Mar 8, 2018

http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvi...cle_ad99821a-230a-11e8-95bd-bf1b39c7dccb.html

The suspect has been arrested. The whereabouts of Deborah Ann Bennett are yet unknown. She was not present at the time of his arrest.

terracotta · Mar 8, 2018

They must have updated the information in that link:

It says she was traveling with him when he was pulled over and arrested, and she was safe.

I wonder if they are charging her with anything?

doodles1211 · Mar 9, 2018

Found safe...

[FONT=&quot]Smith said Painter surrendered to a deputy after the 1:27 p.m. stop just inside the Waynesboro city limits. The Staunton Police Department said a woman reported missing on Feb. 26, Deborah Ann Burnett, 60, was traveling with Painter. She was found safely.[/FONT]

http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvi...cle_ad99821a-230a-11e8-95bd-bf1b39c7dccb.html

JerseyGirl · Feb 22, 2019

A year after 37-year-old Melanie Wade was found shot inside a Staunton home, the man accused of killing her will go on trial Monday.

Orion J. Painter, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Painter's jury trial is scheduled to last three days. A Staunton Commonwealth Attorney has subpoenaed about 50 witnesses.

Painter is facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.

Orion Painter charged with 1st-degree murder in 2018 killing of Melanie Wade, trial Monday

JerseyGirl · Aug 27, 2019

Staunton man sentenced to 28 years for second-degree murder

GUILTY VA - Melanie Wade, 37, murdered, Staunton, 23 Feb 2018 Arrest

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GUILTY VA - Melanie Wade, 37, murdered, Staunton, 23 Feb 2018 Arrest