Childs, Metzler families near one year since deaths

They’ve had nearly a year to think, pray, remember, grieve and hold their families together in the wake of unfathomable loss.

The first Thanksgiving, first Christmas, first birthday — each emotional “first” has passed since Virginia Tech students David Metzler and Heidi Childs were killed in a double homicide in Montgomery County.

In less than two weeks, their families will face one more first: the first anniversary of Heidi and David’s unsolved death.

“It’s been the hardest year of our lives. There’s no doubt about that,” said David’s father, Lynchburg physician Keith Metzler.

Metzler, along with Heidi’s father, former state police helicopter pilot Don Childs, of Forest, spoke to media at Metzler’s house in Campbell County on Friday afternoon.

“We start the day thinking about David and Heidi, and we end the day that same way,” Metzler said.

He said even with all the healing that’s happened since Aug. 27, anything from a birthday to getting ready for the school semester could trigger the memories and the emotions.

“I wake up sometimes, and it feels like it was yesterday,” he said. “I actually look at her picture and say ‘Is this real still?’”

Complicating things for the families is a very large piece that’s still out of place: the investigation.

A passerby discovered the bodies of 19-year-old David and 18-year-old Heidi at a camping area at Caldwell Fields, off Craig Creek Road, only a few miles from the Virginia Tech campus.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office formed a task force with other local authorities, as well as law enforcement on the state and federal levels.

As of Friday, no arrests had been made, and authorities continued to ask for anyone with information, however minute, to come forward, hoping a $70,000 reward could bring out some tipsters.

Metzler said it has been frustrating, not knowing whether his son’s killer will strike again.

“We want to see it solved so this doesn’t happen again, so another family doesn’t have to deal with the hurt and the fear and the loss that we’ve dealt with,” he said.

Metzler said, the investigation isn’t the most important thing for his family to dwell on.

“The investigation is more of a primary concern to other people than to us,” he said. “We miss our son and we miss our son’s girlfriend … the investigation is secondary to that.”

Still, he appealed to the humanity of anyone who might have even the slightest bit of relevant information.

“It is time to step forward,” he said. “Anybody with a sense of justice and decency would do that, if nothing else, to change their life with the reward money.”

Investigator Dennis Rakes, of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, was also on hand at the news conference, though he did not release details of the investigation.

Rakes said a separate news conference would be held in Blacksburg on Monday to relay information related to the case.

Childs said his background in police work — he was a sergeant with the state police until he retired this year and took a job in Liberty University’s aviation department — gives him perspective into just what investigators are dealing with.

“It makes me understand the frustrations,” he said. “You just don’t go with a small amount of information … especially a case like this.”

“There’s one thing for sure,” Childs said, “that the task force is working very hard, and someday they will finish the investigation and make an arrest.”

“I wouldn’t want to be looking over my shoulder, not with this team on my back.”

Now associate director of helicopter flight operations at Liberty, Childs said he’s glad to have a job that’s a little bit safer, and with more regular hours, than his job with the state police. In January, Childs’ helicopter was forced to land after it was hit by gunfire as he responded to a mass slaying in Appomattox. 

“I think the best part of it is it’s a total change of pace,” he said. “It’s nice to work in a Christian environment. That’s rewarding. It’s also nice to work Monday through Friday.”

Childs said through everything, he’s been comforted in knowing he’s not dealing with his grief alone.

“I think through the grace of God, family and friends is the only way we’ve been able to get through this.”