In Pittsylvania County, Virginia, on a Friday afternoon, May 17, 2002, the life of a dedicated lawman was tragically cut short. Deputy Sheriff Frankie Lynn Betterton, a 43-year-old male, was on duty when he conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 58 near Danville. The stop involved two vehicles, one driven by a man and the other by his girlfriend. After speaking with the female driver and allowing her to leave, Deputy Betterton had the male suspect, Roy Inge Jr., sit in his patrol car.
While seated in the passenger seat of the deputy's vehicle, Inge produced a. 380 caliber handgun and shot Deputy Betterton once in the head. The single, fatal shot ended the three-year career of the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office deputy. Following the shooting, Inge fled the scene, sparking a manhunt that would conclude the following morning.
Inge was apprehended at approximately 5:30 a.m. the day after the murder. He was subsequently charged with capital murder. During his trial, testimony from a former inmate who had been incarcerated with Inge revealed a confession. The inmate told the court that Inge had described the killing in detail, stating he knew he was going to shoot the deputy and it was just a matter of when and how.
A jury found Roy Inge Jr. guilty of the capital murder of Deputy Frankie Betterton. Although the jury recommended the death penalty, the judge ultimately sentenced Inge to life in prison. The motive for the shooting was not clearly detailed in the available information, but the senseless act of violence left a community mourning the loss of a husband and father.
