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| For Immediate Release | Contact: |
| July 07, 2011 | DUSM Mark Durig, Western District of Virginia (540) 857-2345; USMS Office of Public Affairs (202) 307-9065 |
| U.S. Marshals Add Suspected Resort Murderer to 15 Most Wanted |
 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Marshals have added a suspected murderer to their 15 Most Wanted fugitive list. Beacher Ferrel Hackney is wanted in Hot Springs, Va., for the premeditated murders of two co-workers.Hackney, 61, was employed as a janitor at the Homestead Resort. Hackney, known to be a loner, was reportedly upset with two of his supervisors, Dwight Kerr and Ronnie Stinnett, for taking him off night shift and putting him on the busier dinner shift. On the evening of March 21, 2009, after being told by a supervisor to find something to do instead of standing around with his hands in his pockets, Hackney allegedly brandished a gun and began shooting at Kerr. Witnesses say Kerr ran from Hackney, who chased him out of the dish room before shooting him again. After shooting Kerr, Hackney reportedly set his sights on Stinnett. Authorities say he chased Stinnett around the kitchen and despite Stinnett’s attempt to escape, Hackney allegedly shoot him too. Both men received fatal wounds. Surveillance video shows Hackney calmly leaving the scene of the murders with the gun in his hand. The video shows him heading toward the perimeter of the resort and vanishing into the night. The Bath County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force in March 2009. The U.S. Marshals started working the fugitive investigation of Hackney developing leads and following up on tips from the public. “When Beacher Hackney chose violence to deal with his issues in the workplace, two men were left dead,” said Geoff Shank, Acting Assistant Director of the U.S. Marshals Investigative Operations Division. “We will make every effort to track this dangerous criminal down and bring him to justice.” Authorities conducted a manhunt, bringing in dogs and a helicopter to aid in the search for Hackney, but came up empty. A search of his apartment provided little evidence. They did find the keys and titles to both of Hackney’s vehicles, leading authorities to believe he left them out for his family to collect after he left – a sign of premeditation. “We are asking anyone with information about Beacher Hackney to please come forward,” said Gerald Holt, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia. Hackney has been a loner his entire life and is referred to as a neat freak with very few material possessions. Police believe he could live in austere conditions and be perfectly fine. Hackney is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. He has balding grey/white hair and brown eyes. He is missing seven lower teeth and the tip of the first joint on his right pinky finger. He is a skilled outdoorsman and can make his own hunting and fishing equipment. He likes to wear button down shirts over a t-shirt and likes to place his shoes next to where he is sitting. Hackney is considered armed and dangerous. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading directly to Hackney’s arrest. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov #### America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency |
