A man suspected of raping and killing a Spotsylvania woman before dumping her body in a trash pile was indicted yesterday by a special county grand jury.
Benny Wayne McCroskey Jr., 35, is accused of killing 57-year-old Alma Beth VonSteinner at her home at 9404 Robert E. Lee Drive on Dec. 22.
Her frozen body was found on Dec. 30, hidden about 25 yards behind her home. She died as the result of blunt force trauma to the head.
McCroskey is charged with murder, rape, forcible sodomy, robbery, identity theft, grand larceny of an auto and credit card fraud.
He was already in the Rappahannock Regional Jail on other charges when he was indicted. He has 10 prior felony convictions.
According to Commonwealths Attorney Bill Neely and court records, VonSteinner spent three months in jail last year on animal neglect charges.
Neely said that VonSteinner, who suffered from depression, failed to feed her horses.
While in jail, VonSteinner met the woman who eventually introduced her to McCroskey. Neely would not name the woman because she is a key witness in the case against McCroskey.
On Dec. 18, according to the evidence, VonSteinner met McCroskey and invited him and her friend to her home for a party.
McCroskey, who had just gotten out of prison in November, was allowed to stay at the home after the party.
The motive for the slaying isnt clear, but Neely said McCroskey apparently became aware that VonSteinner had recently inherited some money.
After beating her to death, Neely said, McCroskey is accused of taking her pickup truck and credit card.
The unnamed woman who introduced VonSteinner to McCroskey assumed VonSteinners identity in order to use the credit card, then split the ill-gotten gain with McCroskey, Neely said.
Eventually the woman asked too many questions about McCroskeys access to the victims truck and credit card and had her jaw broken.
That resulted in a malicious wounding charge against McCroskey in Stafford. An arraignment on that charge is scheduled for tomorrow in Stafford Circuit Court, court records show.
Meanwhile, VonSteinners brother reported her missing after he was unable to reach her and she didnt show up for a Christmas function in Woodbridge.
Court records state that the brother hadnt heard from her since Dec. 22 when he went to her home on Dec. 30 and found a broken window.
After getting into the residence, he found a large amount of blood.
The Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office was called and found VonSteinners body in the trash pile.
McCroskey was identified as a suspect early on, but Neely said police were able to take their time with the investigation because he was already incarcerated.
In addition to the pending Stafford charge, McCroskey was recently convicted of probation violations in Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg and got a total of three years to serve, Neely said.
It was not clear last night when McCroskey would be arraigned in Spotsylvania on his latest charges.
