Grand jury to decide whether son will be tried in mother's death

Posted to: Chesapeake Crime News
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By Matthew Bowers
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 9, 2011

CHESAPEAKE

Murder and firearm charges against a Western Branch teen accused of killing his mother are going to a Circuit Court grand jury, which will decide whether he should face trial.

A juvenile court judge Tuesday found that after a hearing there was enough evidence against Nicholas A. Pettiford, 19. Police charged him with the death of Patricia Pettiford, 54.

Her family reported her missing Aug. 13, and her husband discovered her body the next day hidden under leaves and yard debris in a ditch behind their home in the 3500 block of Coleshill Lane.

An autopsy discussed at the hearing showed Patricia Pettiford probably died from injuries caused by a bullet that bounced off her forehead, along with "inflicted" suffocation exacerbated by a growth on her liver that was big enough to affect her breathing.

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Conflicting stories

Submitted by NN_Native on Wed, 02/09/2011 at 6:35 am.

A previous article on this crime stated that "A Western Branch man told police he shot his mother in the back of the head and then smothered her" whereas this article states "Patricia Pettiford probably died from injuries caused by a bullet that bounced off her forehead". Which one is accurate?