Suspect’s wife charged in slaying of Lynchburg man
Rachelle Hayward (left) has been charged with accessory to murder. Her husband, William Hayward, already faces a murder charge in a July 29 stabbing death.
The wife of a Lynchburg man arrested for murder two weeks ago is now facing a murder charge herself.
Rachelle Andrea Scott-Hayward of Lynchburg was arrested just after noon on Tuesday and charged with accessory to first-degree murder in the July 29 stabbing death of Christopher Michael Flood, 35, of Lynchburg.
Her husband, William Andrew Hayward, 49, was arrested at the scene and charged with murder.
Flood died of a stab wound to the abdomen. Police said they interviewed nearly a dozen witnesses who were out that evening when Flood was stabbed in the grass in the 2900 Triangle Place, near Campbell Avenue. He was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he died.
Lynchburg Police Lt. Jeff Bauserman would not comment Tuesday on what led investigators to charge Scott-Hayward. City Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Doucette also refused to comment.
Scott-Hayward, as an alleged accessory to murder, may be charged, prosecuted and punished as if she had stabbed Flood, according to section 18.2-18 of the Code of Virginia.
This is the second stabbing death in the city this year and the third murder. A Lynchburg man was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Super 8 motel on Candlers Mountain Road on April 20 and another city man was stabbed to death on Jan. 1 on Pierce Street after an argument at a New Year’s Eve party. Police have made arrests in both incidents.
Staff writer Dave Thompson contributed to this report.
Reader Reactions
zigmitchell you would think that normal people would try to help someone, get a weapon or bat of their own. atleast one of those people has to have a gun, knowing that area. still they failed to do anything besides sit and watch the show. you can’t cure this type of mental illness of crime tolerant, criminal haboring people, there has to be a law somewhere of failing to act. all the time you hear about how someone ran and got away from the poice, because it’s these people that open their doors to people on the run and let them hide out. it’s these same people that cry out about criminal behavior in the area, have peace marches, and then sit and watch a murder take place, they want police presence in the area, then when there is out comes the morons of that area with g. stamps in the lead screaming racism. build a wall and let them take care of themselves.
She should of been hitting her husband with the bat,how stupid of all the people that stood around and watch this murder and say it was because they was afraid is why they didnt help..I hope each and every one of them live with guilt for their actions!
Kudos to the police department. The woman is just as guilty as her husband and should be charged accordingly. I am suprised, though, that not one of the 30 people watching did a thing to help the victim. Couldn’t 30 people have overpowered a woman with a bat, if they really wanted to?
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