In the early morning hours of April 8, 2024, a violent altercation in Vinton, Virginia, left 58-year-old Terrence Burton, a White male, dead from a gunshot wound. The incident, which also resulted in a 43-year-old woman suffering a stab wound, unfolded in the 800 block of Washington Avenue. Vinton Police Department officers responded to a disturbance call at approximately 4:21 a.m. and discovered both injured individuals.
Both Burton and the woman were transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where Burton succumbed to his injuries. The female victim was treated for her injuries and subsequently released.
The investigation into the violent encounter led to the arrest of 44-year-old Shane Stager of Hardy, Virginia. Stager was taken into custody and faced initial charges of malicious wounding and possession of a firearm by a non-violent felon. Authorities stated that the incident was isolated and posed no further threat to the public. Stager was transported to the Roanoke County Jail following his arrest.
Subsequent court proceedings revealed a more complex narrative of the events that transpired. It was disclosed that the injured woman was Shane Stager's ex-girlfriend. Testimony presented indicated that Terrence Burton had allegedly stabbed the woman inside her apartment. In response to this, Stager is reported to have fatally shot Burton. Following these revelations, the charges against Shane Stager were updated to include second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The case was scheduled to be presented to a Roanoke County Circuit Court grand jury in August 2024.
