04/06/2007

Associated Press

The minister of a tiny, rural congregation was found dead in her home, and an official on Friday labeled the death a homicide.

Nancy Copin, 60, died from blunt force trauma wounds, Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood said.

Three visitors to Copin's home on Thursday morning found blood in the parsonage and immediately called the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, Capt. Bill Overton said.

"They found a back door unlocked, went inside and immediately detected that something didn't seem right," Overton said.

Additional details about Copins death were being withheld Friday as investigators continued to process the crime scene.

The sheriff's department increased patrols in the community, located between Roanoke and Martinsville, and spoke to Copin's congregation Thursday night at the Snow Creek Christian Church, Overton said.

"Of course, they are just devastated," he said of Copin's congregation, which numbers about 65.

Michael Doyle, 52, an elder in the Disciples of Christ Church, said the congregation would move forward with Holy Week activities.

"It may just be us all hugging each other and crying," Doyle told The Roanoke Times. "Nancy was on fire for the Lord and she would be disappointed if we didn't hold services."

Copin came to the tiny community in southern Franklin County about 20 months ago. She had been an associate pastor at a suburban church in Birmingham, Ala., where she was active in the Hispanic ministry.

Church members said she had traveled on several missions to Mexico, Cambodia and Africa with other Disciples of Christ churches in the past few years.

"She was a very good person and everybody loved her," Church member Shelby Maas said.

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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoketimes.com