Under the Trestle

The 1980 Disappearance of Gina Renee Hall & Virginia’s First “No Body” Murder Trial.

by Ron Peterson Jr.


Formats

E-Book
$4.99
Softcover
$20.99
E-Book
$4.99

Book Details

Language : English
Publication Date : 12/19/2018

Format : E-Book
Dimensions : N/A
Page Count : 332
ISBN : 9781532063503
Format : Softcover
Dimensions : 6x9
Page Count : 332
ISBN : 9781532063497

About the Book

“Under The Trestle” is the true story of the most compelling murder case in Virginia history. In 1980, beautiful Gina Renee Hall, a Radford University freshman, went to a Virginia Tech nightclub on a Saturday night. She was never seen again. Her abandoned car was found parked beneath a railroad trestle bridging the New River, with blood in the trunk. The investigation led police to a secluded cabin on Claytor Lake, where there was evidence of a violent attack. Former Virginia Tech football player Stephen Epperly was charged with murder, despite the fact that Gina’s body was never found. In Virginia’s “trial of the century,” prosecutor Everett Shockley presented an entirely circumstantial case. Key witnesses against Epperly included his best friend, his mother and a tracking dog handler later believed by many to be a fraud. Three former Virginia Tech football players testified, including a Hokies quarterback once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Would Epperly become the first person in Virginia history convicted of murder without the victim’s body, an eyewitness or a confession? And would authorities ever find the body of Gina Renee Hall?


About the Author

Ron Peterson, Jr. has been published in newspapers throughout Virginia and in corporate publications for two Fortune 500 companies. His career includes leadership positions at the Virginian Pilot and Cox Media, where he was awarded the company’s annual “Outstanding Performance” award. Peterson’s background also includes managing television advertising campaigns that have appeared on TV networks CNN, Discovery, Fox News and ESPN. He is a board member of the Hampton Roads Sports Media Hall of Fame. Peterson first wrote about the Gina Hall case as a Radford University senior in 1987, majoring in Journalism/Communications and working as an editor for the university newspaper. In research for this book, he interviewed over 100 sources.