BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Playback58@gmail.com

ISLE OF WIGHT—Isle of Wight County Sheriff Mark Marshall said Commonwealth Attorney Wayne Farmer may seek the death penalty against Joseph “Jay” Joyner Jr. for allegedly murdering his father and stepmother.

Marshall referred the matter to Farmer, who did not return repeated phone calls to The Tidewater News.

Marshall made the statement after Joyner, 37, on Monday waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court for allegedly shooting Joe Joyner, 62, in the back of his head with a shotgun and beating Sandra Joyner, 58, to death on April 26.

Their bodies were found the next day at their Walters Highway home.

While investigators have not given a motive for the killings, friends of the victims have indicated it was over money.

By waiving the hearing, Joyner agreed there is enough evidence for the case to continue in circuit court.

A grand jury will hear the case on Friday, Nov. 9.

“He said he’s not involved,” said Virginia Beach attorney Sonny Stallings, who represents Joyner.

Stallings also said the death penalty could be an option, assuming charges are upgraded to capital murder. Joyner currently faces two counts of first-degree murder and life in prison.

During a July bond hearing, Stallings argued the case against Joyner was quite weak.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Wayne Farmer disagreed, saying Joyner could flee to Louisiana, where his wife and children live.

Joyner is being held at Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk.