More than 100 people gathered outside the home of Jason Lee Shifflett, Charlottesville’s first suspected homicide victim of the year, for a candlelight vigil September 3.
Shifflett, 31, was shot and killed in his Carlton Avenue trailer home just before 1am that day, police say. His killer has not yet been identified.
Shifflett’s friend, Ira Morris, who is a tattoo artist at Scotty Rock’s Inkslingers in Ruckersville, agreed to donate half of the proceeds from any tattoo he inks in Shifflett’s memory to the family for funeral expenses. At press time, Morris said he had given seven memorial tattoos, which equalled $600 worth of donations. Morris gave an extra $400 and says he wrote Shifflett’s mother, Robin, a check for $1,000 on September 7.
Charlottesville police spokesman Steve Upman says there are no updates at this time. He asks anyone with more information on the shooting to contact Detective Bradley Pleasants at 434-970-3374.
Over Labor Day weekend, a man was charged with first degree murder for killing his wife on Jefferson Drive in the Lake Monticello subdivision. On September 5, Lieutenant David Wells with the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office named the deceased woman as Tayler Burruss and said her husband, Franklin Burruss, is being held without bond at the Central Virginia Regional Jail.
