2 convicted in Colonial Heights home invasion

A Colonial Heights jury has convicted two men in a violent attack in a home during which their five young victims were tied up naked on the floor with their heads or faces covered. Three were pistol-whipped or assaulted before being robbed.

After a three-day trial that ended Wednesday in Colonial Heights Circuit Court, Daryl L. Sample, 22 of Hopewell and Ryan P. Wilson, 21, of Chesterfield County were convicted of a combined 17 felonies, including multiple counts of robbery and attempted robbery, burglary, conspiracy, use of firearm and wearing a mask in public. The jury recommended prison terms of 42 years for Sample and 37 years for Wilson.

Jurors also recommended each man be fined $3,500. They will be sentenced Feb. 9.

According to evidence, Sample, Wilson and another man -- Wayne D. Caldwell, who will be tried next week -- entered a home early March 13 in the 100 block of Conjurers Drive, where two of the victims were hosting a gathering with three friends. The intruders, dressed in dark clothing and masks and armed with a shotgun, crowbar and tire iron, accosted the group in an above-garage recreation room.

"Only one of them -- Daryl Sample -- spoke," because some of the victims knew the other two men, said Colonial Heights Commonwealth's Attorney William B. Bray.

The assailants forced the victims to the floor, covered their heads or faces and ordered them to disrobe. All five victims, in their late teens or early 20s, were bound with string or twine.

Sample threatened to kill someone in the main house -- separate from the garage -- if the victims didn't comply with the assailants' demands.

The robbers wanted money but got only wallets with little or no cash and several sets of car keys. After rummaging through belongings for about an hour, the intruders left.

The suspects were apprehended within hours.

Even though the assailants were wearing masks and gloves, some of the victims were able to recognize Wilson and Caldwell, Bray said. In addition, a brother of two of the victims, who had left the garage before the attack, spotted a Cadillac parked outside with distinctive, shiny rims. It was registered to Sample.

Armed with that information, an officer located a vehicle matching the description of Sample's car outside a house in the 200 block of Homestead Drive. Police were drawn to that neighborhood after receiving a report of shots being fired.

An officer spotted Sample and Wilson outside the Homestead address and arrested Wilson on an outstanding warrant. Another officer arrested Sample about an hour later after he left the house and began to drive away in the Cadillac. Police found keys in the car that belonged to two of the victims.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for the Homestead address and recovered a roll of string similar to what was used to bind the victims. Also recovered were a shotgun, some shells and a crowbar linked to the robbery, police said.

Authorities say Caldwell, who was arrested later that morning, admitted to his involvement and cooperated with police, naming Sample and Wilson as co-conspirators. Caldwell testified against both men during this week's trial.

Caldwell, 21, of Colonial Heights, is set to be tried Monday on robbery, abduction and burglary charges.
Contact Mark Bowes at (804) 649-6450 or .