A Richmond man and his wife are accused of assaulting their roommate, a 53-year-old woman, and authorities say the couple tried to hire a hit man to kill two witnesses to the assault.
Luther Benjamin Jarman, 41, and Lizzie Jarman, 51, were charged last month with one count each of misdemeanor assault of Deborah A. Rocco and with cursing or abusing her in connection with an incident Nov. 21 at their home in Richmond's East End.
On Tuesday, police arrested the Jarmans and charged them with one count each of conspiracy to commit murder. Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland said additional charges are likely.
No attempt to kill the witnesses was ever carried out, Thorne-Begland said. He declined to say how authorities learned of the alleged conspiracy.
Keith Massie, who was living with the Jarmans, Rocco and Lizzie Jarman's mother and stepfather, described bleak and disturbing conditions at the home, which is brightly adorned with holiday lawn decorations in the 700 block of North 32nd Street.
Massie, 54, added that he once was married to Lizzie Jarman and after that was temporarily engaged to Rocco, yet they all lived together because of costly expenses.
Massie said the Jarmans would get angry with Rocco when she failed to complete household chores, which included sweeping and mopping the floor.
"They took the broom away from her and made her get on her hands and knees," Massie said, adding that Rocco would clean the floor with a rag.
"He screamed a lot if you didn't do something right," Massie said, referring to Luther Jarman. "There was a lot of stress in the house at all times."
Massie said he was scared of the Jarmans while living with them, leading to his hospitalization in August for stress-related health problems. "What they were doing was just eating at me," he said, "and I didn't want to go on."
Luther Jarmans' attorney declined to comment, and Lizzie Jarman's attorney could not be reached Thursday.
The Jarmans are in jail with no bond.
Rocco has left Virginia for her own safety, Thorne-Begland said.
rwilliams@timesdispatch.com
(804) 649-6332
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement