INDEPENDENCE, Va. — Following the discovery of additional evidence by guards at the New River Valley Regional Jail, Frederick P. Hammer entered into a plea agreement with state prosecutors to five counts of capital murder Friday at the Grayson County Courthouse.

Hammer was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by a Virginia trial judge for the murder of Ronald Hudler, Frederick Hudler and John Miller. Although Hammer murdered three individuals, the two other counts of capital murder come from one charge of abduction in the commission of murder and another charge for multiple killings in a specified time frame. He also pleaded guilty to felonious robbery, grand larceny, statutory burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon and the use of a firearm in the commission of a robbery. Hammer is also facing fines of more than $600,000 including a fee that is to be paid to the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation fund in the amount of $20,000. Hammer was also sentenced to two additional non-capital terms of life in prison along with additional incarceration which total 23 years in length.

A joint press release from the office of Grayson County Commonwealth Attorney Douglas Vaught and the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office stated the guilty pleas were arranged this week after the recent discovery of one of the weapons used in the crimes and of money taken from Ron Hudler during the robbery.

According to Vaught’s testimony, guards at the NRVRJ discovered a discarded letter in the trash that was written from an inmate in that facility around three weeks ago. The letter was intended to reach the inmate’s family and included details of how he was about to acquire a large sum of money following his departure from prison. Ashe County Sheriff James Williams elaborated on the significance of this particular letter by stating that Hammer had instructed the inmate to travel to a barn in Cripple Creek following his release from the jail. The inmate was then to destroy the weapon that was used in the murder and to recover $10,000 that was hidden in the barn in a Yadkin Valley Bank deposit bag, Williams said. The barn where the evidence was hidden belonged to an Ashe County resident.

Upon the discovery of the letter, Grayson County authorities then coordinated their efforts with the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office to authorize the search of the barn. Inside the barn, authorities discovered a .22 magnum rifle bearing the serial number matching that of a rifle that was sold to Hammer in the mid-1990s that was hidden under heavy rolls of woven wire fencing. The rifle also contained a broken scope with damage matching debris that was found at the door of Ronald Hudler’s house on the date of the killings, the press release stated.

During Vaught’s reading of a written stipulation under the plea agreement, the Commonwealth Attorney recapped the evidence that was presented to the court during the Aug. 4, 2008 preliminary hearing that gave the descriptions given by county deputies upon coming onto the murder scene. Testimony from medical examiner Amy Thorp and special investigators was also presented during the hearing. Vaught also brought to attention additional witness testimonies that were omitted from the August hearing. One piece of information that was not shared with the court was witness testimony that was taken from two Elk Creek Convenience Store clerks who saw Hammer on the day of the murders. The clerks stated that Hammer’s hair was wet and it look as if his coat was covered in leaves and dirt. They also stated that they distinctly remember Hammer’s truck because it had a sign that read “Here comes Freddy P.”

Vaught explained that the victims’ family members were consulted prior to entering the plea.

“Foremost in our minds was insuring that Hammer would no long pose a danger to individuals or the community and that families of the victims could hopefully achieve a degree of closure without a long and painful trial and years of appeals following a conviction and imposition of a sentence of death,” Vaught said.

Dressed in a red jumpsuit and shackles, Hammer left the Virginia courtroom expressionless until the moment he was escorted out of the room by bailiffs when he turned over his right shoulder and waived goodbye to his wife Brenda.

Hammer’s Courtroom Comments

Frederick P. Hammer said he never meant to kill Ronald and Frederick Huddler or John Miller when he drove his Ford pickup truck up Charlie Spencer Road to Hudler’s house in Grassy Creek on a cold January morning in 2008.

Prior to sentencing Friday morning, Hammer stood in front of a Virginia courtroom in Independence and told the victims’ family members and authorities that he intended to commit a burglary at the Grassy Creek tree farm and never wanted to harm anyone.

“It was something that should have never happened and for that I am sorry,” Hammer said while looking at the victims’ families. “There are things that you really need to know.” He said that the family would learn more once he got a ghost writer to complete a book on the murders.

Although Hammer admitted that he did not personally know Miller he did explain that he had maintained a close relationship with Ron Hudler and stated that “he had been good to me.”

Hammer commended Judge Brett Geisler’s “straightforwardness” during the course of the trial’s hearings and recognized the efforts of state prosecutors by stating “we need more guys like that in the community.”

He stated that he regretted his actions from the day he committed the murders and deserved whatever punishment the court gave him.

“I probably deserve to die but whatever,” Hammer said. After referencing a passage from the Bible Hammer closed by saying that, “At times I wish I was dead for what I did, but I can’t change what happened.”

Hammer also stated that his wife Brenda was totally unaware of his actions and asked the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office to “keep an eye out” on his wife and their home in the Crumpler community. Hammer explained that his wife had been the target of numerous threats during the course of the ordeal and property that belonged to the couple had been vandalized.

Before sentencing, Hammer acknowledged claims against him in his alleged role in the disappearance of Jimmy Blevins, his nephew by marriage and the murder of Timothy Shatley. Blevins is believed to have disappeared sometime on Saturday, Feb. 24 2007 from his residence and has not been heard from since.

“As far as for Jimmy Blevins and Mr. Shatley, I never had anything to do with that,” he said.

Following Hammer’s sentence, Ashe County Sheriff James Williams said that Hammer remains a prime suspect in the disappearance of Blevins.

Williams explained that with Hammer’s guilty plea, a sense of relief has been bestowed upon the victims’ families and the county of Ashe in general.

“I’m mainly happy for the victims’ families,” Williams said. “It has been a long journey to this point and I know it brings a sense of relief to them.

“I’m also glad that the people of Ashe County won’t have to worry about Mr. Hammer anymore.”