Man Turns Himself In; Charged in Stafford Murder

A person of interest in the death of a Stafford County woman turned himself in Tuesday morning and has been charged with first-degree murder.

Roberta Dews, 59, was found dead in her Kellogg Mill Road home over the weekend, with her Chevrolet van missing.

Authorities had been seeking John Douglas Cornell for questioning. Cornell called authorities Tuesday morning and told them he was in a parking lot on Route 218 and that he wanted to turn himself in.

Stafford County sheriff's deputies arrived to find Cornellstanding next to Dews' van.

He was arrested without incident, and is being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

Cornell has also been charged with grand larceny.

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