GATE CITY — The wife and 14-year-old daughter of a Scott County man are both facing charges of first-degree murder for their alleged roles in his killing earlier this year.
Melissa Justice Napier, 40, 4812 Upper Possum Creek Road, Yuma, had her charges of first-degree murder and defiling a dead body bound over to a grand jury during an appearance Monday morning in Scott County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The grand jury is scheduled to convene Sept. 9.
Melissa Napier is charged with shooting her husband, Billy Ray Napier, 74, and leaving his remains to decompose for nearly a month in the bedroom of their Yuma residence.
Napier’s daughter — whose name was not released by authorities because of her minor status — is currently awaiting extradition from North Carolina on a single count of first-degree murder.
Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney Marcus McClung said his office has not yet decided if it will prosecute the daughter, who was charged earlier this month, as a juvenile or an adult.
McClung said the charges against the juvenile were brought after additional evidence came to light during the investigation of her father’s murder.
Melissa Napier’s court appearance Monday came after she was found competent to stand trial in May.
During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors told the court that Melissa Napier had shot her husband in the head around March 20 and left his body in their home until it was discovered by authorities in mid-April.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that in the weeks following her husband’s death, Melissa Napier told concerned family members that he had been killed in an automobile accident in Michigan.
One of Billy Napier’s children from an earlier marriage took the stand for the prosecution during the preliminary hearing.
Napier has been in custody since April 13, when she turned herself in to Virginia State Police following the discovery the day before of her late husband’s remains.
Melissa Napier confessed to a VSP special agent that she was responsible for her husband’s death, McClung said.
Authorities said they believe money could have played a role in the murder but have declined to comment further on possible motives.
The search for Billy Napier began April 12 when law enforcement received a missing persons complaint regarding his whereabouts from concerned family members.
After executing a search warrant on the residence and discovering the body, investigators determined that Billy Napier died after being shot in the back of the head.
While searching the residence, authorities found several holes dug in the back yard, as well as hay bales and gasoline in the kitchen of the home.
Melissa Napier had reportedly been living in a second residence on the property since the alleged murder occurred.
Napier is currently being held without bond at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield.