52-year-old Christiansburg man, accused of shooting dead his sister last year, will undergo mental competency evaluation
CHRISTIANSBURG — A judge ordered on Monday that a Montgomery County man who is accused of killing his sister last year will have to go through a mental competency test.
Russell Steven Snider, who is 52 years old, is being charged with second-degree murder and using a gun in the death of Nancy Marie Snider, who was 60 years old.
Russell Snider was not at the hearing on Monday in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, where his lawyer, Fred Kellerman of Christiansburg, asked for a competency evaluation. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Rachel Shrader didn’t say anything against testing, so Judge Robert Viar quickly told them to do it.
Viar set up another hearing for March 27 to look at the results of the evaluation, if they are ready by then, and decide what to do next.
Russell Snider was arrested on December 21 at his home after a neighbor called the county sheriff’s office to report an emergency. When police got to the house in the 900 block of Switchback Road, Nancy Snider was already dead. A search warrant filed in the case says that the medical examiner’s office found that she died from a single gunshot wound.
A search warrant said that Russell Snider told police that he shot because his sister attacked him and their sick father, and that he did it in self-defense.
The search warrant said that in December, Curtis Snider, the father of the children, was bedridden and getting care from a hospice. On Switchback Road, which is west of Christiansburg, Curtis Snider and his son lived together.
In December, a police officer said that Nancy Snider also lived in the Christiansburg area.
