Victim’s family issues statement on Hackney ID

Hot Springs, Va. –

On September 2nd, the skeletal remains of Beacher Hackney were found on private property near The Homestead’s Lower Cascades golf course. In March 2009, Hackney shot and killed two of his supervisors, Ronnie Stinnett and Dwight Kerr, at The Homestead. After the shooting Hackney walked out of the hotel and disappeared. During the press conference on the case, Bath County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Jeff Grimm read a statement from the Stinnett family.

“Sheriff Plecker, kindly use the following as my voice for the media in the place of me being present. There will never be closure in as much as our family was torn apart and Ronnie taken from us. What Hackney did was a senseless, evil, crime. We are saddened to learn that he had been in our county all this time when we would go to bed at night having to wonder where he was and would he kill again. With that said, we thank our God for Hackney being found and offer extended appreciation to all that offered a helping hand. We thank you Robert as our Sheriff and your personnel for your labor and effort by not giving up on the search for Hackney and working diligently in searching for evidence of his identity and keeping us informed as your search progressed. We pray that all workforce take heed and learn from this to never dismiss a threat or a complaint within their businesses, even if you are a small locality with little crime, it could save a life. Further, we know our Sheriff has already in place a better communication system and training in this field of crime. With that, we know our community can rest a little easier. God Bless each of you. Janet Stinnett.”

“We also have a statement from Mrs. Kerr who wishes to make no comment at this time, and wishes to not be contacted by the media,” says Grimm. “I had the opportunity to speak with members of the Hackney family and they wish to be left alone by the media and have no contact with them and they have no comment.”

You can hear the entire press conference on our website alleghenymountainradio.org. Click on AMR newsroom & archives.