Thursday, December 12, 2013

Thriller Thursday: Freed on Murder Charge, Convicted as Chicken Thief

Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA)
February 26, 1932

FREED ON MURDER CHARGE, CONVICTED AS CHICKEN THIEF

Prince William County Man is Given Year's Term in the Penitentiary

Manassas, Va., Feb. 25 - Walter Woolfenden of near Kopp, Prince William County, who recently was acquitted of a charge of murder in the death of Goodwin Miller, was today convicted of a charge of stealing chickens and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary.

Woolfenden was arrested last October on a charge of stealing chickens from J.M. Shelton, near Woodbridge.  This charge was followed by a murder charge growing out of the deaths of Miller and his wife and child, whose charred bodies were found in the ruins of their burned home.

Woolfenden was not arrested in connection with the Goodwin deaths until it was learned that he had collected insurance on a policy of Miller in which Woolfenden was the beneficiary.  Woolfenden has not been tried for the death of Mrs. Miller for which he was also indicted.


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