Brookneal 13-year-old now facing murder charge in death of 11-year-old

Previous stories:

13-year-old boy charged in shooting death of 11-year-old - Feb. 3rd

Identity released of 10-year-old killed in Campbell County - Feb. 4th

Child killed in Campbell County raises questions - Feb. 4th

Mother of Campbell County child shooting suspect did not go out to help - Feb. 5th

Funeral arrangements made for Andrew Lambert - Feb. 5th

 

A criminal charge against a 13-year-old Brookneal boy police say is responsible for the Feb. 3 slaying of an 11-year-old has been upgraded to murder, Commonwealth’s Attorney Neil Vener said Thursday.

The 13-year-old had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, Vener said.

“That charge will eventually be incorporated into the murder charge because it is a lesser included offense,” he said.

Campbell County Sheriff’s Office officials initially called the incident “horseplay,” in which the older boy pointed a hunting rifle at the victim, Andrew Bryant Lambert.

The third time he pointed the gun, he cocked the rifle and pulled the trigger, killing the boy on Gilliam Road in Brookneal.

“He told me he thought the gun was unloaded,” Investigator Mike Milnor said in an earlier interview.

Thursday, though, a day after a detention hearing for the 13-year-old in Campbell County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Milnor said new evidence has come to light.

The investigator said the information came from witnesses who were re-interviewed about the incident. He declined to say what that evidence is.

Milnor said the 13-year-old also has been charged with burglary in an incident that happened before the shooting.

Vener said he was limited in disclosing more information about the case because of the boy’s age.

In Virginia, proceedings are sometimes made public when juveniles age 14 and older are charged with felonies.