UPDATE: Judge allows homicide defendant more time to find lawyer

Updated 3:52 p.m.:

A judge granted more time today for a Nelson County man to retain an attorney to represent him on a murder charge in the stabbing death of a 73-year-old Afton woman.

Nelson County General District Court Judge Joseph M. Serkes continued an advisement hearing until June 3 for Austin Griffin, 20, of Afton. The hearing was necessary for the court to determine if Griffin had his own attorney or if the court must appoint one to represent him.

Griffin has been charged with first-degree murder, burglary, grand larceny petit larceny in the death of Opal Page and is being held without bond in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

An attorney’s firm contacted the Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s about 1 p.m. today to tell officials that Griffin was in the process of retaining an attorney.

Griffin told Serkes on May 13 via video conferencing that his family had obtained an attorney for him.

Christopher Meeks, 19, of Shipman, was also charged with first-degree murder, burglary, grand larceny and petit larceny in Page’s death. Serkes appointed David Heilberg, a Charlottesville-based attorney, as Meeks’ counsel on May 13.

Meeks is scheduled to appear in court next on July 29 and is also being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail without bond.

Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said the investigation is continuing into Page’s death.

Authorities found Page May 6 in her ranch-style home in the 7200 block of Rockfish Valley Highway on May 6, after she was reported to have missed a lunch date.

A retired elementary school teacher’s aide who lived alone in the modest home, Page was found in a pool of blood, and an autopsy showed she had been stabbed, authorities said.

Page’s vehicle was found the next day on B Street in Waynesboro.

Authorities then began a region-wide manhunt for suspects, asking for tips from anyone who may have seen two men around the area of Page’s home the day she was killed.

Meeks and Griffin were arrested May 11. The next day, Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said inves-tigators found a knife that they believe was used in the slaying and “other items of interest” near Fourth Street in Waynesboro, less than a mile from where Page’s car was found.

Earlier:

One of the Nelson County men who was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 73-year-old Afton woman is scheduled to reappear in Nelson County General District Court at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Austin Griffin, 20, of Afton, was also charged with burglary and grand larceny, both felonies, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor.

Griffin told Judge Joseph M. Serkes on May 13 that his family had obtained an attorney for him, but that attorney had not contacted the Nelson County General District Court by Tuesday.

Christopher Meeks, 19, of Shipman, was also charged with first-degree murder, burglary, grand larceny and petit larceny. Serkes appointed David Heilberg, a Charlottesville-based attorney, as Meeks’ counsel on May 13.

Meeks is scheduled to appear in court next on July 29.

Authorities said the death of Opal Page is still being investigated. Both men are being held without bond at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail without bond.

Authorities found Page in her ranch-style home in the 7200 block of Rockfish Valley Highway on May 6, after she was reported to have missed a lunch date. An autopsy showed she had been stabbed.

A retired elementary school teacher’s aide who lived alone in the modest home, Page was found in a pool of blood, authorities said. Her car was missing. Authorities found it the next day in Waynesboro.

Authorities began a region-wide manhunt for suspects, asking for tips from anyone who may have seen two men around the area of Page’s home the day she was killed.

Meeks and Griffin were arrested May 11. The next day, Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said investigators found a knife that they believe was used in the slaying and “other items of interest” near Fourth Street in Waynesboro, less than a mile from where Page’s car was found.