Jimmy Joe Stapleton
Photo courtesy of Bristol Herald Courier
A SULLIVAN COUNTY JURY HAS FOUND A MAN FOUND GUILTY ON ALL BUT ONE CHARGE FOR RAPING A WOMAN JUST THREE WEEKS BEFORE SHE WAS FOUND DEAD. 31 YEAR OLD JIMMY JOE STAPLETON WAS FOUND GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED RAPE, ONE COUNT OF ATTEMPTED RAPE, AND TWO COUNTS OF ASSAULT. STAPLETON WAS CONVICTED FOR THE 2002 DEATH OF 23 YEAR OLD CHRISTA HART. HART’S BODY WAS FOUND IN WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA IN THE SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE. NO SENTENCING DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. MEANWHILE, 45 YEAR OLD CHARLES STILTNER OF BRISTOL VIRGINIA IS CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN HART’S DEATH. STILTNER WILL STAND TRIAL IN HART’S DEATH AT A LATER TIME.