A Charlottesville court today released 19 pages of search warrant documents related to the case of slain University of Virginia lacrosse player Yeardley Love.
The Daily Progress, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Washington Post and the Associated Press have been battling in court to obtain the documents pertaining to police searches in the case. A judge ruled last week that officials must release redacted versions of documents related to almost all of the searches today.
Love died of blunt-force trauma to the head, according to the state medical examiner’s office.
Police have charged George Huguely, who was a player on U.Va.’s men’s lacrosse team, with first-degree murder in the death. Huguely and Love were fourth-year students about to graduate when she died in her apartment on 14th Street Northwest. They had previously been in a relationship.
From Huguely’s apartment, investigators seized, among other items: a letter addressed to Love; two laptops; a white U.Va. lacrosse T-shirt with a red stain; a bathroom rug; and a shower curtain.
From Love’s apartment, investigators seized, among other items: swabs of red stains on the wall; sheets, a pillowcase and a comforter with red stains; wooden pieces; the door to her bedroom; a note in a desk drawer; and fingerprints.
From Huguely himself, investigators took fingernail scrapings, samples of his hair and a mouth swab.
From his car, they took at least two handwritten notes.
In an affidavit requesting a search warrant, Charlottesville police Detective Lisa Reeves wrote that Huguely told police that “he shook Love and her head repeatedly hit the wall” during an argument.
Witnesses described finding Love face down on her bloodstained pillow, according to Reeves’ affidavit. Love’s right eye had swollen shut, the right side of her face was bruised, and there were bruises and scrapes on her chin.
According to a search warrant affidavit, Huguely told police that he had communicated with Love by e-mail and had taken her computer from her apartment.
Paperwork regarding authorities’ search of Internet and cellphone records will remain sealed, according to the judge’s ruling.
(For more on this story, see tomorrow’s Richmond Times-Dispatch.)
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement