Killing suspect married widow

By Tasha Kates and Bryan McKenzie
Published: May 17, 2008

A man charged this week with killing a storeowner in 1988 is now married to the dead man’s widow and has helped raise his children, authorities disclosed Friday.

Alvin Lee “Butch” Morris, 67, was denied bond Friday morning during a court hearing on charges of first-degree murder, robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Morris appeared via video link, unable to see that his wife, Barbara Morris, and one of her sons had shown up to support him.

John Zug, assistant commonwealth’s attorney, told the court that Morris’ wife is the former Barbara Shifflett, who was married to Roger Lee Shifflett when he was shot and killed. Defense attorney Francis McQ. Lawrence told the court that Morris had helped raise Shifflett’s younger children.

Other details of the couple’s relationship were unavailable Friday. A search of court records in Albemarle County did not turn up a marriage license for Morris and his wife. Barbara Morris quickly left the courtroom after Friday’s proceeding and did not return a telephone message left at her home.

On June 20, 1988, an employee

reporting to work at 6 a.m. at the now-defunct Southwind Gas and Grocery on Route 20 found Shifflett’s body. The 38-year-old had been shot four times in the face, head and neck with a .22-caliber handgun. Officers said in 1988 that the fatal shot had been to the back of his head.

Police said $135 was taken from the store, which Shifflett owned with his wife. She had been held up at the store four months before her husband’s killing, according to information released by police at the time. The couple bought a surveillance camera for the shop, but found neither time nor money to put the camera up prior to the killing, authorities said.

Shifflett was killed less than two months before his 13th wedding anniversary, leaving behind his wife, 7-year-old twin boys and a 3-year-old son. An older daughter and son did not live at home.

The investigation

The shooting flummoxed police. At one point, officers stopped more than 200 cars traveling past the store on Route 20 in hopes of finding clues. Family, residents and Crimestoppers raised money for a $6,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, and police investigated 10 to 12 leads a week for several weeks.

Four people were questioned at length, but police did not have enough information to make an arrest. The case went unresolved for nearly two decades, but then, several months ago, Detective Phil Giles and Sgt. Terry Walls came across additional leads.

“We don’t ever give up on a murder case,” said Lt. Greg Jenkins, head of investigations. “There may not be any activity or an arrest for years, but we continue to look for more information and new leads. There is no statute of limitation on murder and if someone has committed one, there may come a day when we knock on their door.”

Officers who were with the department at the time of the shooting said Alvin Morris had long been a person of interest in the case. In court Friday, Lawrence said Morris met with police most recently in February and provided them with DNA samples.

“For 20 years he has gone nowhere and did nothing with an expectation that an arrest could come at any time,” Lawrence said. “The next day in 1988 could have been like yesterday.”

Zug said Friday that the case against Morris wouldn’t have been brought without new evidence. Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford declined to elaborate.

Lunsford said slaying cases such as Shifflett’s are sometimes solved with the help of time, as some people decide to come forward or reveal new information.

County police are still seeking information on other unsolved killings, including a baseball-bat beating of a man outside the Wood Grill Buffet on U.S. 29, the 2005 slaying of a Columbia man near Darden Towe Park and the 1997 backyard shooting of Janice Garrison.

Morris’ life in Albemarle

Hidden partially by large trees, 1699 Lindsay Road is one of the nicest houses on the street. The tan house has a handsome red door with matching shutters and a wooden porch accented by hanging planters. The floral mailbox has “Welcome” stenciled on it, but two “No Trespassing” signs are nailed to the trees next to the driveway.

According to county property records, Barbara Shifflett owns this house. The phone is listed under Morris’ name. One of Barbara Morris’ children lives across the street.

Lawrence said Morris has lived his entire life in the Charlottesville area. He retired from a 30-year career with Safeway stores in 1989, worked in landscaping for five years and worked as a contract U.S. Postal Service driver for 12 years.

Area resident Richard Harris said Morris attends Mechanicsville Baptist Church every Sunday. Harris said Morris has ties to the community and described him as a good person.

“Everybody that knows him was very shocked,” Harris said of the criminal charges.

Lunsford said she doesn’t expect Morris to face more charges. He is scheduled to return to court on June 26.