Previous Stories:
Man Accused of Triple Murder has Criminal Past - February 8, 2008
Triple murder case takes next step in court system - August 4, 2008
Special grand jury hears Hammer case - August 11, 2008
Break in triple murder ends in plea deal for Frederick Hammer - May 22, 2009
10 On Your Side has learned sheriff's deputies from Ashe County, North Carolina plan to spend several days searching a Wythe County property where Freddy Hammer hid three murder weapons and cash from a robbery.
Last Friday, Hammer pleaded guilty to three counts of capital murder in the deaths of Grayson County tree farmers Ron and Fred Hudler, as well as the Hudler's employee, John Miller Jr.
A short time after the murders, police found several items from inside Ron Hudler's home on property in Wythe County. Hammer was known to stay at the property, in the Cripple Creek area, from time to time.
The property is about an hour drive from the scene of the murders at the Hudler family tree farm, including items from a safe inside Ron Hudler's home.
At least one officer at the New River Valley Regional Jail intercepted a letter from another inmate involving plans to sneak onto the Wythe County farm in order to get rid of one of the murder weapons.
Investigators said Hammer promised the inmate a portion of the cash he took from the Hudlers' safe if the inmate took care of the murder weapon.
Once confronted with the information contained in the letter, Hammer agreed to plead guilty and give up the location of two more murder weapons he used in the crime. He had buried those weapons, along with the cash, inside a barn on the Wythe County property.
Hammer is also a "prime person of interest" in the disappearance of Jimmy Blevins from Ashe County. Blevins disappeared before the Hudler tree farm murders.
Blevins is Hammer's nephew through marriage.
Ashe County authorities are searching the Wythe County property to see if there is any evidence connecting Hammer to Blevins' disappearance.
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