Evening star., 1952-02-01
Texan Gets IS Years
In Killing Of Soldier S
Wife in Fairfax

A Texan has been sentenced to
I18 years IN the Virginia peniten-
Itiary in the Staying Of the woman
HE said he loved.
Rupert Julian Turbeville, "a
lyear- r-old former sheet metal work.
Ter from Milneola, Tex. was con-
lvicted late last night Of second
degree murder by an all-male
Fairfax County Circuit Court jury
which deliberated two hours.
The jury fixed the penalty at
l18 years imprisonment. judge
Paul Brown rejected a motion for
a new trial and imposed sentence
Immediately.
The murder victim, Mrs. Ella
FIoy Moody, SO, was shot and
killed last August 20 in a cabin
on Route /, south Of Alexandria,
where she lived with her soldier
husband, Corpl. Oscar Moody, 81,
and her 16-year -old son by a pre-
vious marriage, Johnny Ray
(Charlie) Nabours. #
Her Son Is . Witness. =
Young Nabours was one of the
principal prosecution witnesses,
lie said Turbeville drove up in a
|taxicab the day Of the shooting. 4;
'eWhen ! saw who was in the
ltaaicah I went and got my gun,'
ltiSe b0 testified. He said hs
Thought there might be trouble.
The youth said his mother and
ITurheville talked outside the
lcabm With neighbors for a while
then went into the cabin. He
stayed Id the adjoining cabin. He
said he heard a scufle and his
mother shouted, mo. Turbey
don't"
II jumped up. The gun I had
fell out Of my belt. I picked it up
land ran next door. He was hold
ing her with one arm, and pulling
la gun from his back pocket with
THE other" the boy said. II tried
Ito shoot him, but my gun wouldn't
IRE"
Mrs. Sue Stanley, who lived in
the adjoining cabin. said she ran
| to the Moody cabin with Charlie
and saw Turbeville shoot Mrs.
Moody as she was kneeling.
Found Wounded on Bed.
Police said they found Mrs.
Moody dead on the floor, with
three bullet wounds in her body.
Turbeville was lying wounded on
the bed. Fairfax County Police
lPvt. Thomas Thompson said
iTurbeville told him he had shot
himself.
Turbeville took the stand to
1deny that he ever planned to kill
lMrs. Moody.
my feelings then and now
were the same. I was in love with
Llher," he declared. Deep down In
my heart I don't feel responsible
| for her DEATH"
| He said he met Mrs. Moody II
Texas in 1912, and that thel
lived together as man and wife
from 1916 until she came here .ir
1851 to marry Corpl. Moody. Hs
said Charlie and an older son oi
Mrs. Moody lived with them par
of that time.
Turbeville said he first came
here to visit Mrs. Moody lasi
spring. and they spent some time
together in several Alexandra
hotels. He said she had him ar.
rested in Alexandria on a rape
charge last May 81, but dropped
the charge.
| Returned From Texas.
Turbeville testified that he re.
turned to Texas and came bach
here the day Of the shooting. He
said he stuck the gun in his bell
because he feared Corpl. Moody
might be home. He said Corpl
Moody once threatened him.
The defendant said Mrs. Moody,
saw the gun and asked to see II
he said.
He said he feared the gun might
fire, and told her to put it down
When she didn't put it down. he
said they scufled over 1t.
"It fired. I don't know how
many times. I don't remember
lanything until I was lying on the
tbed and realized I had been shot.
lhe said.
The case was prosecuted by
ICommonwealth's Attorney Hugh
.IB. Marsh. Turbeville was repre-
scented by John Il. Rust and Ed
ward GaSSon.