LEWISBURG – Dozens of people were on hand at the Union County Courthouse today for a preliminary hearing on murder charges. Just two days after his 29th birthday, Tracy Ray Rollins Jr. of Texas was shackled hand and foot for the hearing. He is accused of shooting 47-year-old Rebecca Landrith of Virginia and dumping her body along I-80 in Union County in early February.
Union County District Attorney Peter Johnson feels confident with the evidence against Rollins.
“With the body of proof that we have, I don’t have concerns that there would be something that would cause us to have a not-guilty verdict.”
Several of Landrith’s family members viewed Thursday’s proceedings online.
D.A. Johnson continued, “My only concern is the trial process is brutal for the family, hearing the details about their daughter’s, their sister’s, their aunt’s life and how she died.”
While Thursday’s hearing would have made the state’s case public, Attorney Brian Ulmer of the Public Defender’s Office announced his client waived his right to the preliminary hearing. Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Mensch scheduled formal arraignment for July 26 at 8:30 a.m. at the Union County Courthouse.
