James Bryant Hudson, the prime suspect in a triple murder, was captured yesterday without incident following a 24 hour manhunt, police reported.
Hudson was captured in the North Fork Church road area after a neighbor called authorities claiming to have seen the suspect.
Three members of the Cole family were shot dead in the Hyco Community Wednesday afternoon and authorities quickly launched a full-scale manhunt for Hudson, 55, of South Boston.
The victims of what police officials say appear to be close-range shotgun blasts were husband and wife, Thomas Wesley and Patsy Ayers Cole, and Wesley's brother, Walter Stanley Cole.
Neighbors heard the shots and contacted authorities, according to a Cole family member.
"The motive was possibly a property dispute over an easement," Sheriff Jeff Oakes suggested yesterday.
Hudson was last seen driving a 1986 Dodge pickup in the Hyco community.
Stanley Cole, 56, was the father of four and owner of the South Boston Livestock Market, which is located in the Hyco Community.
Thomas Wesley Cole, 64, was a retired Burlington employee and his wife Patsy, 64, a retired nurse.
Major R.S.B. Pulliam said that one victim was found inside a Ford Ranger parked on a private drive.
A second victim was found in a ditch beside the truck. Patsy Cole was found in a garden beside the home.
The murder scene was located at 4012 Virgie Cole Road.
Police called in the state police search helicopter Wednesday night to assist in the search.
Following the shootings, law enforcement from several jurisdictions initiated the search, continuing late into the night.
"There are a lot of our officers who haven't been to sleep yet," Oakes said yesterday afternoon.
"We had officers from all of the surrounding communities assisting us in searching for Hudson," the sheriff added.

The United States should put troops on both the Canadian and Mexican borders.
That is the message 5th District Congressman Virgil Goode said he and several fellow congressmen sent to President George Bush in a letter last week.
"I think we have to try to get control of them," Goode said during his South Boston stopover at the VEC this week.
"We need to put troops on both the Canadian and Mexican border for three reasons. One, it will greatly reduce illegal immigration. Anyone can walk across now.
"Two, it will reduce illegal drug traffic.
"Three, it will reduce the risk of terrorists walking across the border bringing horrific weapons," said Goode.
The Virginia congressman said he put an amendment to that effect in a Defense Bill that passed the House.
Goode said that the bill would allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service border patrol to ask the Secretary of Defense to put troops on the border.
The amendment to the Defense Authorization Legislation passed the House.
"The Senate has passed their bill, I believe. It (the amendment) is not in it," Goode said yesterday. "A number of House amendments are not."
Next, the conference committee will consider the amendment the House adopted.
Several members of the House Committee are known to favor the amendment, according to Goode.
"If you don't do troops for the border, any other security we do will help, but we need it in addition to troops on the border," Goode emphasized.
Overall, the congressman supports the nation's waging of the war of terrorism.
"I agree agencies should be more coordinated than they are," he added. But for homeland security, Goode repeated to his call for "troops on the borders."
However, legislators said that support for the war on terrorism remains strong, despite some claims to the contrary.
"My sense is that the people support the war on terrorism," said Sen. George Allen.
Allen said there will be times in the conflict that there will be successes that never become public.
"If you infiltrate one of the terrorist networks or intercept some finances, that will never make the paper, but it is a success," Allen observed.
Allen urged the people to remain supportive.
"It will take a great deal of patience, and that will be a challenge," he said.
"We are fighting a war unlike any we've fought before," the senator noted.
"It takes a great deal of intelligence, greater financial intercepts and more patience," he added.
Support remains strong in Washington as well, Sen. John Warner said.
"I don't find any waning support anywhere," he said. "Certainly not in the congress."
Warner, who is the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a bill through congress authorizing $379 billion in support funding for the war.
"It's the largest bill ever to go through congress on the authorization side," he said.
Warner said this illustrates the strong support Congress has for the war.
"I think everybody in Congress voted for it," Warner noted.
Warner suggested that perhaps people are tiring of hearing government warnings relating to the terrorist threats.
"I think the government is doing the right thing," he said. "They warn us now and then about things that are going to happen, and perhaps people get a little weary of it, but I don't know what else we can do."

Halifax County's unemployment rate crept back into double-digits in May, finishing at an even 10 percent, according to a report from the Virginia Unemployment Commission.
This showed an increase of one-tenth of one percent from April.
Danville's unemployment fell two-tenths of a percent to finish at 10.8 percent in May, down from 11 percent in April.
Pittsylvania County's unemployment also fell, down three-tenths of a percent to nine percent.
Martinsville showed a moderate increase in the unemployed, up two-tenths of a percent to 18.6 percent. Henry County unemployment figures dropped one-tenth of a percent, to finish at 12.1 percent, down from an April figure of 12.2 percent.
Charlotte County showed a marked drop in unemployment, down to 6.9 percent from an April reading of 7.6 percent.
Mecklenburg County's unemployment increased from an April reading of 10.6 percent, to a May reading of 11.3 percent.
Virginia's statewide unemployment rose from four percent to 4.1 percent in May.

Gary Van Anderson, a 40-year-old South Boston resident, was sentenced Tuesday in Halifax County Circuit Court to a total of 33 years in prison for robbery and use of a firearm to commit robbery.
Judge William L. Wellons suspended all but three years of Anderson's 30-year sentence for robbing Jason Bailey on May 29, 2001.
That three-year term, along with the three-year sentence for the firearm charge, will result in an effective six-year prison term for Anderson.
The court ordered the suspended portions of Anderson's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 25 years, and ordered Anderson to be placed on probation for three years upon his release from incarceration.
The court additionally ordered Anderson to pay restitution in the amount of $450.
· Gerald Clifton York Sr., 60, of Lynchburg, was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison each for two convictions of credit card forgery, two convictions of credit card fraud and one conviction of credit card theft.
Judge Wellons suspended all but one year each on four of the convictions, resulting in an effective four-year prison term for York.
The court ordered the suspended portions of York's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years and for him to be placed on probation for two years, both upon his release from incarceration.
· Christopher Lee Hammock, 19, of South Boston, was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for each of four grand larceny convictions, and to 12 months in jail for petty larceny.
Judge Wellons suspended all of Hammock's two five-year sentences for the grand larceny of ATVs belonging to L.W. Henderson and Ned Stebbins, and all of a five-year sentence for the grand larceny of a four-wheeler belonging to Theodore W. Capwell.
Judge Wellons additionally suspended all of Hammock's 12-month sentence for petty larceny of a chain belonging to Capwell and all but one year of a five-year sentence for the grand larceny of another four-wheeler belonging to Capwell, leaving Hammock with an effective sentence of one year in jail.
The court ordered the suspended portions of Hammock's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years, and ordered him to be placed on probation for three years following his release.
Hammock was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,224.36 to Capwell, $997.74 to Stebbins, and $233.40 to Henderson, both jointly and separately.
· Bobby Rydell Powell Sr., 41, of Scottsburg, was sentenced Tuesday to a 10 years in prison, with all time suspended, for breaking and entering the property of Frank Lovelace.
Powell was additionally sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but three years suspended, for the grand larceny of items belonging to Lovelace, resulting in an effective three-year prison term for Powell.
Judge Wellons ordered the suspended portions of Powell's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years, and ordered him to be placed on probation for two years upon his release.
The court additionally ordered Powell to pay restitution in the amount of $1,500 to his victims.
· Adrian Edwardo Slayton, 19, of Long Island, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and five years in prison for possessing a firearm while possessing cocaine.
Judge Wellons suspended all of Slayton's sentence for the distribution charge, leaving Slayton with an effective five-year prison sentence.
The court ordered the suspended portions of Slayton's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 10 years, and ordered him to be placed on probation for two years following his release.
The court additionally ordered Slayton to abstain from illegal drugs and submit to random drug tests.
An appeal bond for Slayton was set at $30,000 before he was remanded to custody.
· Parris Ronald Seeney, 23, of Wilmington, De., was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for possession of cocaine and to a 12-month jail term for misdemeanor reckless driving.
Judge Wellons suspended Seeney's five-year sentence to time served and suspended Seeney's entire 12-month sentence for the reckless driving conviction, conditioned on Seeney's good behavior for five years.
The court additionally ordered Seeney to be placed on probation for two years upon his release, pay a $500 fine with $250 suspended for the reckless driving charge, to abstain from illegal drugs and to submit to random drug tests.
· Deborah Clay Wilmoth, 40, of Halifax, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison, with all but one suspended, for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
Judge Wellons ordered the suspended portions of Wilmoth's sentence be conditioned on her good behavior for 10 years, and ordered her to be placed on probation for two years upon her release.
The court additionally ordered Wilmoth to abstain from illegal drugs and submit to random drug tests.
· Jerry Lorenzo Faulkner Jr., 28, of South Boston, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his conviction to an amended indictment of a subsequent offense of cocaine distribution.
Judge Wellons suspended all but three years of Faulkner's sentence, conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years, and ordered Faulkner to be placed on probation for two years upon his release.
The court additionally ordered Faulkner to abstain from illegal drugs, submit to random drug tests, and to pay restitution in the amount of $150.
The court suspended Faulkner's operator's license for six months.
· Rolling Badger, 64, of Alton, was sentenced five years in prison, with three years suspended, for driving after having being declared an habitual offender.
Judge Wellons ordered the suspended portions of Badger's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for three years upon his release, and ordered him to be placed on probation for two years.
The court additionally ordered Badger to abstain from illegal drugs and alcohol, and to submit to random drug tests.
John Stephen Watts, 39, of South Boston, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison, with all but one year and four months suspended, for driving after having been declared an habitual offender.
Judge Wellons ordered the suspended portions of Watts' sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for three years, and ordered him to be placed on probation for two years, both upon his release.
The court additionally ordered Watts to abstain from illegal drugs and alcohol, submit to random drug tests, and to undergo alcohol counseling.
· Floyd Joel Waller, 33, of Gretna, was granted first offender status by the court on charges alleging he possessed cocaine.
Judge Wellons deferred disposition of the case until the July 2003 term of court, ordered Waller to be placed on probation for 12 months, and ordered him to perform 100 hours of CDI service under the supervision of Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services.
The court additionally ordered Waller to undergo treatment and tests as needed, and to maintain employment.
· Steven Joe Meadows, 42, of Waynesboro, was granted first offender status by the court Tuesday on charges alleging he possessed methamphetamine and oxycodone.
Judge Wellons continued disposition of Meadows' case until the July 2003 term of court, and ordered Meadows to enter a substance abuse program and remain drug and alcohol free.
The court additionally ordered Meadows to perform 100 hours of CDI service and maintain employment.

Joan Johnson Hodges

Joan Johnson Hodges, 67, formerly of Melbourne FL, passed away July 1. Mrs. Hodges was born to Leslie S. Johnson and Jessie Wilson Johnson of South Boston on January 4, 1935. She was a homemaker and long time volunteer for the Brevard Symphony Orchestra.
Mrs. Hodges is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Smith of Palmdale, CA; one son Bob Hodges Jr. of Longwood, FL; three grandchildren; one sister, Kaye McGarty of Hilton Head, SC; one brother Leslie Johnson Jr. of Augusta, SC. She was preceded in death by her husband Lt. Col. Bob Palmer Hodges, Ret. USAF.
Funeral services will be held on July 3, at 10:00 a.m. at The Church of the Annunciation.