Homicide case will go to grand jury

District Judge Pat Whaley found probable cause Tuesday to bind the homicide case against James Edward Staples over to a grand jury.

Maria Byrdsong Staples, 33, of 549 N. Berry St., Wadley was stabbed multiple times in her home Feb. 27 and died a short time later.

Her husband, James Edward Staples, 43, is charged with murder. He has subsequently been released on a $200,000 bond, which Whaley left unchanged.

Details of what occurred that day were given in statements by Staples and by his son, Cameron. Randolph County Investigator Chris May began to testify when Newsome asked the victim’s family members if they wanted her three children to hear the testimony. The smallest two children left the courtroom but the oldest stayed.

May, at the request of Wadley Police Chief Larry Lacy, processed the scene. He had located a black Explorer, which he had been told the suspect was driving, wrecked on County Road 33. Chief Deputy William Dillard who told him the suspect had turned himself in at the sheriff’s office then contacted him. He had caught a ride to the courthouse.

When Lacy and Randolph County Deputy Jimmy Holmes responded to a call from the couple’s son they found Maria Staples still conscious.

When she was asked who inflicted the wounds on her, she said “Skeeter,” her husband’s nickname, May said.

Lifeflight landed at nearby Southern Union State Community College but she “coded,” May said and had to be rushed by ambulance to Randolph Medical Center, where she was subsequently pronounced dead.

The Staples son said his father had left in an Explorer. He said when he came home from school he could hear his mother’s screams.

Staples, hunched over, barely raised his eyes during the hearing.

May said he took Staples’ statement. Staples said he got off his job at Plantation Patterns, went by the post office and got home about 2:45 p.m. He and his wife had not been getting along. She had been staying out all night and he suspected she was seeing someone, he had said.

May said she had eight stab wounds, according to the medical examiner, one of which was different from the knife stab wounds.

Responding to defense attorney Oliver Kitchens’ questions, May said he reduced the statement to writing but before Staples signed it he said he thought he needed an attorney. He never signed the statement. Responding to the judge’s question, he said there was no electronic recording.

In questions regarding the children, Kitchens said this event has been traumatic for his client, the children and the family but he should be allowed some type of visitation with his children to maintain the family relationship.

He said Staples would not try to affect the children’s testimony but the judge said his main concern is the safety of the children. The judge said he would not allow their safety to be compromised.

If visitation is allowed, said assistant district attorney Amy Newsome, it must be supervised. That will be discussed in a future dependency hearing.