James Edward Shaner, III of Lynchburg was tried before a Lynchburg jury in a two day trial beginning July 16, 2007 on the charge of murdering Ricky Evans. The jury heard evidence and closing arguments of counsel on July 16th and then deliberated for approximately one and half hours on the morning of July 17th before returning a guilty verdict for second degree murder. The jury sentenced James Edward Shaner to fifteen years in the penitentiary for his crime.

The Commonwealth’s evidence established that on the evening of January 22, 2007, Ricky Evans was stabbed by the defendant in the front hallway of 1002 Rivermont Ave. The stabbing occurred after Mr. Evans had entered the hallway common area of the rooming house confronting other residents about who had disrespected his wife over the common telephone line earlier in the day. Shaner, along with another resident, were seated in Shaner’s room when Evans entered the hallway. The Commonwealth’s evidence showed that upon hearing Evans in the common area, Shaner left his room armed with a foot long knife to confront Evans. Another resident upstairs witnessed the confrontation between Shaner and Evans who testified that verbal exchanges were had between the two, but that when Evans attempted to get away from the defendant, Shaner pushed Evans up against the wall several times before stabbing Evans one time in the abdomen. Ricky Evans died of a perforated aorta several hours later at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Officers of the Lynchburg Police Department responded to the scene just minutes after the stabbing occurred and took statements from the defendant in which he admitted that he stabbed Evans. The defendant claimed that Evans had broken into his room just seconds before the stabbing occurred, however, evidence collected at the scene revealed no damage to the door of Shaner’s room and the witness in his room denied that Evans had ever entered.

Shaner will be formally sentenced by Judge Mosby G. Perrow on October 12, 2007 at 9:30 am in the Lynchburg Circuit Court. This case was prosecuted by Commonwealth’s Attorney, Michael Doucette and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gretchen Hutt.