Man holds teeth for Ransom

I was looking for some news in Lee County,VA, and came across this article. It was from the Times-News. A little old but very funny.

•  Date Published: February 25, 2003
  
  Lee man accused of stealing teeth
  
  JONESVILLE - A Keokee man is in the Lee County Jail in lieu of a $1,500 secured bond on a felony grand larceny charge after he allegedly held a set of false teeth for ransom. Debra Letourneau, of Long Hollow, alleges in a warrant obtained Monday that she was at another man's residence in Long Hollow on Dec. 30 when Gary Lee McMurray, 30, Route 1, Box 212, called and told her that he had her upper plate of false teeth. She further alleged that McMurray told her if she did not pay her for the return of the dentures he would stomp on them. She valued the teeth at $250. McMurray was arraigned Tuesday in Lee County General District Court, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on March 11.
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  Date Published: April 4, 2003
  
  Grand jury fails to indict man charged in denture ransom case
  
  JONESVILLE - A Lee County grand jury was unable Friday to take a bite out of crime as it failed to indict a Keokee man charged with grand larceny for allegedly holding for ransom the dentures of a former companion.
  
  It wasn't that there were not enough teeth in the law - the victim no longer wanted to pursue the case, said a court official.
  
  Gary Lee "Tiny" McMurray, 30, Route 1, Box 212, Keokee, was charged with grand larceny in late February after he allegedly asked for $20 and other items before he would return an upper plate of false teeth belonging to Debra Letourneau, of Long Hollow. The case was certified to the grand jury following a preliminary hearing in which testimony revealed that McMurray had threatened to stomp the teeth in front of their owner if she did not pay the ransom.
  
  Letourneau testified that she was living with McMurray to help care for him following an automobile accident. One night in November she placed her teeth beside the bed, and when she awoke they were gone. She moved out in December without having found the teeth, and in February McMurray called to offer her dentures for the ransom, she testified. Instead of paying, Letourneau called police and obtained a warrant.
  
  Court officials said the woman explained she only wanted to get her teeth returned and did not wish to pursue the case further.
  
  - Articles copied from Times News