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Austin Griffin, left, and Christopher Meeks, right
Opal Page
Less than 24 hours after two Nelson County men were charged with first-degree murder in connection with last week’s stabbing death of a 73-year-old Afton woman, authorities said they have found the weapon they believe was used.
Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said a knife was found in woods behind Quadrangle Apartments on 4th street in Waynesboro, less than a mile from where authorities found Opal Page’s 1998 green Chevrolet Malibu May 7.
Brooks said other “items of interest” were recovered as well.
Christopher Meeks, 18, of Shipman, and Austin Griffin, 20, of Afton, also were charged with grand larceny, petit larceny and burglary.
The two men are being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail and are scheduled for an arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Brooks said Meeks was found Monday afternoon on Misty Hollow Road in Amherst County, and Griffin was found near his home in Afton around 5 p.m.
Authorities found Opal Page stabbed to death in her ranch-style home in the 7200 block of Rockfish Valley Highway May 6 after she was reported to have missed a lunch date.
Page, a retired elementary school teacher’s aide, lived alone in a modest home on an isolated portion of the highway. Her death shocked friends and neighbors, who described her as kind and gentle. Her funeral was Sunday.
Community involvement and tips were key in the capture of the two men, Brooks said, and that the sheriff’s office was not seeking any other suspects in Page’s death.
“This is what happens when you work together,” Brooks said. “One tip leads to another tip and its like the piece of the puzzle that comes together.”
Brooks said Nelson County sheriff’s investigator Becky Adcock and Augusta sheriff’s investigator Paul McCormick were instrumental in the events leading to the arrests.
Page’s body was discovered after her neighbor, Frank Armentrout, called authorities around 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday to check on her.
Nelson deputies arrived to find Page in a pool of blood and her car missing.
Armentrout said he last saw Page’s car leaving her home before 6 a.m. and headed north on Virginia 151.
The car had been parked at the home when Armentrout placed a newspaper on Page’s porch 90 minutes earlier, Brooks said.
The vehicle was found in the 1000 block of B Street in Waynesboro, a day after Page’s body was found.
Authorities then began a region-wide manhunt for the suspects that involved investigators from several law enforcement agencies, including the Virginia State Police and the Waynesboro Police Department.
On Friday, authorities released descriptions of two men who were reported to have been in the area of Page’s home early Wednesday.
Brooks said that asking for tips culminated in the arrests.
“It most certainly worked out in this matter,” Brooks said.
Brooks said nothing else was taken from Page’s home besides her vehicle.
Page had been a longtime teacher’s aide at the former Rockfish Valley Elementary School, working mostly with kindergarten students before moving on to Rockfish River Elementary School, where she continued to volunteer after retiring five years ago, said Principal Nita Hughes.
Page’s body was sent to a state medical examiner’s office in Richmond for an autopsy.
Her funeral was in Afton on Mother’s Day.
The homicide was the first in Nelson County since 2007.
Reader Reactions
Oldman why don’t you try posting one time without using the “L” word? Jesus the world you live in is freaking sad. Everything bad/wrong = liberal. I’m pretty certain that individuals like you are a bigger problem in this world than liberals.
Now Mr. oldman66 has gone into the business of interpreting what the deceased deserve.
Rest easy, I don’t think the boys families are wealthy.
I agree with the acussed being innocent until proven guilty and due procees, speedy trial, but after the smoke clears where, other than some state law, probably issued under a “liberal” administration, does the guilty get at least three appeals if given the death sentence? The deceased deserves to have the person/s causing her death to pay the ultimate price for their actions. How about it, you liberal, anti-death penalty activists?
As far as the trial goes a motive usually leads conviction, but as far as the public goes, the motive only leads to healing over such a terrible murder or any tragic event.
Gordie, am I understanding you correctly? Motive is immaterial?
crispy daisy actually I live in Nelson.
I am one for justice and accountability so I am more interested in making sure all the facts are gathered and their is a push by the news media to push law enforcement for answers.
When it is considered that the 2 men live about 25 miles apart and the one in Afton lives close by Ms Page it would be assumed (ASSUMED) that one had a car or someone drove them.
The one in Afton more then likely would have gone to the elementary school where Ms Page was a teachers aide. The other would have gone to school at Tye River Elementary if he is originally from the Shipman area. I understand there are 2 Christopher Meeks who went to Nelson High school. The 2 probably met in Middle or High School if they are both from the county.
The person who gave the information is immaterial as well as the motive. Those concerns are heeling issues for the family and only tend to give the public some type of “I told you so” or “that’s what to expect from people like that”. Those type of questions seem immaterial to gathering the evidence to prevent future types of incidents.
Any who follows Nelson County incidents will come to the conclusion that something is wrong in the Afton area that so much violence seems to come from that area of the County. The I-64 shooter and home breakins. Of course these are my thoughts and opinion.
Fully granted Miss Daisy. But, don’t you get the idea that we are having more fun?
arthur, the “roll” we’re on pales in comparison to yours and jbrown’s in the Ben Stein thread.
EEEE GADS you two are on a roll.
I’m far more concerned with the hideous idea that an 18 and 20 year old, from the neighborhood, did this, if in fact they did. Who ratted them out? What their motive was? Are there racial implications? Did they know the victim? Were they perhaps once her students? The list of my questions goes on.
I get Gordie’s point and I get crispy’s. In the end this is a teaser. Stay tuned for details to come at 11:00.
They are searching the basement down at the N&A. Somewhere, someone remembers seeing an investigative journalist down there someplace.
Gordie, I don’t even live in Lynchburg any more. What inaccurate journalism are you talking about? The article doesn’t say anywhere that the investigation is closed.
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