State Police to re-examine unsolved 1990 trailer explosion Jasmine Franks Smyth County News & Messenger Jun 10, 2024 Jun 10, 2024 0 A photo in a Virginia State Police cold case file depicts the damage done in the 1990 bombing that killed a West Virginia man in Wytheville. Photo courtesy Virginia State Police Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Jasmine Franks Smyth County News & Messenger Just before 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, 1990, Charlie Matney arrived at his single-wide trailer in Wytheville to check up on his property.kAmp 7C:6?5 H9@ 925 5C:G6? |2E?6J 7C@> 9:D 9@>6 :? y@=@[ (6DE ':C8:?:2[ H2E4965 2D E96 eb\J62C\@=5 6?E6C65 E96 >@3:=6 9@>6[ >@G65 23@FE E96 EC2:=6C 2?5 E96? C6EFC? E@ E96 6?EC2?46 H96C6 96 2AA62C65 E@ 36?5 5@H? E@ A:4< FA 2? @3;64E 7C@> E96 7=@@C]k^AmkAmxE H2D 2E E92E A@:?E 2? 6IA=@D:@? C:AA65 E9C@F89 E96 EC2:=6C[ <:==:?8 |2E?6J 2?5 =6G6=:?8 >@DE @7 E96 DECF4EFC6]k^Am kAm%9:CEJ\7@FC J62CD =2E6C[ ':C8:?:2 $E2E6 !@=:46 2C6 DE:== ECJ:?8 E@ D@=G6 E96 42D6]k^Am People are also reading… Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident 100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life Meet Smyth County's Pet of the Week: Sable U.S. Sen. Warner visits Marion, holding discussion about Blue Ridge Job Corps State education leaders bring listening tour to SWVA Quadruple amputee cornhole player wanted for murder arrested in Albemarle County 5 things to know about legalizing marijuana in Virginia Virginia's proposed congressional districts and who is running | Special Report Smyth School Board celebrates student achievements With election underway, court could have final say on redistricting | Special Report What we know about the quadruple amputee cornhole champ arrested for murder in Virginia Virginia's redistricting battle started in Texas | Special Report Chilhowie reports on water quality, looks at system growth kAm“%9:D :D <:?5 @7 2 5:77:4F=E 42D6[” D2:5 #FDD6== t5H2C5D[ 2 DE2E6 A@=:46 286?E E2D<65 H:E9 6I2>:?:?8 E96 2C62’D F?D@=G65 42D6D]k^AmkAm%96 6IA=@D:@? =67E 369:?5 =:EE=6 :? E96 H2J @7 96=A7F= 6G:56?46[ 3FE 2FE9@C:E:6D 2E E96 E:>6 H6C6 23=6 E@ BF:4<=J 56E6C>:?6 :E 925 6CFAE65 7C@> 2 9@>6>256 3@>3] p 42?:DE6C[ 2 ?F>36C @7 7C28>6?E65 D9C2A?6= 2?5 EH@ D>2== H:C6D DF886DE:?8 2? 6=64EC:42= 56E@?2E:@? H6C6 2>@?8 E96 563C:D 4@==64E65 2E E96 D46?6[ 3FE ?@ 6G:56?46 4@F=5 =:?< E96 56G:46 E@ 2 A2CE:4F=2C A6CD@?]k^Am kAmx?E6CG:6HD H:E9 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D 2=D@ 3@C6 @FE ?@ D:8?:7:42?E :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 E96 42D6 D@@? DE2==65]k^Am kAm(:E9 =:>:E65 :?7@C>2E:@? :? E96 42D6 7:=6[ t5H2C5D 36=:6G6D 2 4@>A=6E6 C6:?G6DE:82E:@? :D ?66565] qFE[ H:E9 >@C6 E92? E9C66 564256D 92G:?8 A2DD65 D:?46 |2E?6J H2D <:==65[ E92E E2D< H:== AC@G6 2 5:77:4F=E @?6]k^Am kAm“%9:D 42D6 92AA6?65 D@ =@?8 28@[ 2 =@E @7 E96 <6J A=2J6CD 2C6 ?@H 56462D65[” t5H2C5D 6IA=2:?65]k^AmkAmw6’D 366? :? 4@?E24E H:E9 2? p%u 286?E @FE @7 qC:DE@= 7@C 2DD:DE2?46 :? E96 :?G6DE:82E:@?] %96 A2:C 92D C6\6I2>:?65 E96 6G:56?46 2?5 :?E6?5 E@ 4@?5F4E ?6H :?E6CG:6HD H:E9 72>:=J >6>36CD[ @C:8:?2= :?G6DE:82E@CD 2?5 7:C6 @77:4:2=D H9@ 2C6 DE:== 2C@F?5]k^Am kAm“(6’G6 8@E E@ E2=< E@ E96 A6@A=6 2E E96 D46?6[ D66 H92E E96J D2H[ H92E E96J D>6==65[ 2?JE9:?8[” t5H2C5D D2:5]k^AmkAm(9:=6 D9C2A?6= 7C@> E96 3@>3 H2D 4@==64E65 2?5 2?2=JD:D @7 @E96C 563C:D DF886DED 5J?2>:E6 H2D FD65[ :?G6DE:82E@CD H6C6 ?@E 23=6 E@ 567:?:E:G6=J 56E6C>:?6 H92E EC:886C65 E96 6IA=@D:@?] $>2== 56E2:=D 7C@> E96 >6>@C:6D @7 E9@D6 2E E96 D46?6 4@F=5 A@:?E E@ @E96C 4@>A@?6?ED FD65 :?D:56 E96 3@>3] z?@H:?8 H9@ 925 2446DD E@ E9@D6 A2CE:4F=2C 4@>A@?6?ED 4@F=5 96=A 4C24< E96 42D6]k^Am kAmt5H2C5D 92D 2=D@ C646?E=J 8@EE6? E96 8C66? =:89E E@ C6BF6DE 2 AC:G2E6 =23 E@ 2?2=JK6 E96 D9C2A?6= 7@C E96 AC6D6?46 @7 s}p] %9@F89 96 4@?46565 E92E 492?46D 2C6 =:<6=J D=:>[ t5H2C5D D2:5 :E’D A@DD:3=6 E96 A6CA6EC2E@C 4@F=5 92G6 =67E 369:?5 s}p @? E96 @3;64ED E96 3@>3 H2D 7:==65 H:E9]k^Am kAmp=E9@F89 6G:56?46 E6==D 9:> G6CJ =:EE=6 23@FE E96 4C:>6[ t5H2C5D 92D 366? 23=6 E@ DFC>:D6 @?6 E9:?8i w6 5@6D?’E 36=:6G6 r92C=:6 |2E?6J H2D E96 :?E6?565 E2C86E]k^AmkAm“x 5@?’E 36=:6G6 96 H2D E96C6 6?@F89 E@ 92G6 366?[” E96 286?E 6IA=2:?65]k^AmkAm|2E?6J[ H9@ @H?65 2 H6==\5C:==:?8 3FD:?6DD H:E9 9:D 3C@E96C[ FD65 E96 (JE96G:==6 EC2:=6C E@ DE@C6 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 :?7C6BF6?E=J G:D:E65 E96 AC@A6CEJ E@ 4964< FA @? E9:?8D]k^Am kAm“x7 J@F E9:?< 23@FE :7 J@F H2?E E@ 86E C:5 @7 D@>6@?6[ H9J ?@E 9:E E96> H96C6 E96J =:G6 @C 7C6BF6?En p?5 96 5:5?’E =:G6 @C 7C6BF6?E E96C6] w6 H2D E96C6 EH@ @C E9C66 E:>6D 2 >@?E9 E@ 4964< @FE 9:D AC@A6CEJ]”k^Am kAmp ?F>36C @7 @E96C A6@A=6 925 2446DD E@ E96 EC2:=6C[ t5H2C5D D2:5[ :?4=F5:?8 2 D@? H9@ D@>6E:>6D DE2J65 E96C6] {@42E65 :? 2 C6>@E6 2C62 :? $E@?J u@C< ?62C E96 7@@E @7 (2=<6C |@F?E2:?[ 2?5 H:E9 ?@ =@4< @? E96 5@@C[ E96 AC@A6CEJ H2D 2=D@ <?@H? E@ 36 7C6BF6?E65 3J A6@A=6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 A=246 E@ 5C:?< 2?5 92?8 @FE]k^AmkAm“}@ @?6 H2D 24E:G6=J =:G:?8 :? E96 9@>6[” D2:5 t5H2C5D] “$@>6 A6@A=6 >:89E DE@A 3J 2?5 DE2J 7@C 2 ?:89E @C EH@[ @C >2J36 72>:=J H@F=5 DE@A 3J 2?5 DE2J[ 3FE x ;FDE 5@?’E D66 |C] |2E?6J 2D E96 :?E6?565 E2C86E] x >62?[ :E’D A@DD:3=6 E92E 96 H2D[ 3FE >@C6 E92? =:<6=J 96 H2D?’E]”k^Am kAmu2>:=J >6>36CD @7 |2E?6J 4@F=5 ?@E 36 =@42E65 D2G6 7@C 2 D@? H9@ 5:5 ?@E H:D9 E@ 36 :?E6CG:6H65 7@C E9:D 2CE:4=6]k^Am kAm|@G:?8 7@CH2C5[ t5H2C5D A=2?D E@ EC24< 5@H? C6>2:?:?8 C6=2E:G6D 2?5 E9@D6 :?G@=G65 :? E96 :?:E:2= :?G6DE:82E:@?] w6’== 2=D@ D@@? AC6D6?E E96 42D6 E@ s}p {23D x?E6C?2E:@?2=[ 2 AC:G2E6 =23 :? u=@C:52 E92E DA64:2=:K6D :? 7@C6?D:4 42D6H@C<[ 7@C 4@?D:56C2E:@? 7@C s}p 2?2=JD:D]k^AmkAmp?J@?6 H:E9 :?7@C>2E:@? C682C5:?8 E96 42D6 :D 2D<65 E@ 42== DE2E6 A@=:46 2E afe\aag\b`b`]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident After further investigation, Ayers arrested again and charged with one count of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of malicious wounding. 100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis With the help of Virginia Tech’s Extension Service, a group of Smyth County residents – some in law enforcement, others in healthcare, some in… A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Bryan Lynch took the helm of the Saltville Police Department on Feb. 11, 2025. In the last year, the agency has undergone a transformation – o… Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life Smyth County’s Democratic Party is more active than it’s been in years. Meet Smyth County's Pet of the Week: Sable Meet Smyth Animal Rescue’s Pet of the Week, Sable, who has lived 334 days in the shelter.
Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident After further investigation, Ayers arrested again and charged with one count of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of malicious wounding.
100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis With the help of Virginia Tech’s Extension Service, a group of Smyth County residents – some in law enforcement, others in healthcare, some in…
A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Bryan Lynch took the helm of the Saltville Police Department on Feb. 11, 2025. In the last year, the agency has undergone a transformation – o…
Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life Smyth County’s Democratic Party is more active than it’s been in years.
Meet Smyth County's Pet of the Week: Sable Meet Smyth Animal Rescue’s Pet of the Week, Sable, who has lived 334 days in the shelter.