Hampton, Va. - For more than 30 years Margaret Haywood has looked out of her front door to see the comings and goings of her neighbors across the street.
“It's almost like a dream,” she says. “You know, it just don't seem real."
Haywood never imagined it would become the scene of a violent murder.
Hampton police say 84-year-old David Priddy shot and killed his next door neighbor, 65-year-old Katherine Ann Fleming, last week.
"It’s sad because I don't see the car leave and go no more,” Haywood says. “I really loved her. It really hurts. I really loved her."
Neighbors say Priddy has lived on Shawen Drive since the 1970's and has been there by himself since his wife died about five years ago.
When Fleming was gunned down in her driveway, Haywood says she suspected Priddy could be the shooter.
"We were thinking maybe it could be,” she says. “We were hoping it wasn't him."
Throughout the years that the two lived next door to each other, Haywood says they would argue every once in a while but says lately those arguments became more frequent. It got to the point, Haywood says, that Priddy would be waiting by his fence for Fleming to get home.
"She sat in the car and he stood there by the fence," Haywood says.
Haywood says she knew they would bicker about things like yard work, but isn't sure what their more recent arguments were about.
"Sure has upset this neighborhood, I’ll tell you that,” Haywood says.
Now Haywood’s view out her front door is much quieter. One neighbor is behind bars and the other about to be buried.
"I just really hate it was her," she says.
NewsChannel 3 obtained a criminal complaint and search warrant for Priddy. The complaint says the bullet that was taken from the victim matched to one of the guns taken from Priddy's home.
The warrant says several guns and ammunition were taken from the home. It also says that neighbors told police that he was sitting on his porch before they heard the gunshot and neighbors saw him run into his house once police and medics arrived.
Priddy is expected to be back in court on July 30th.
Related:
Family: 84-year-old accused of killing DMV clerk has been neighbor for 30 years
Police search for clues in murder of 65-year-old Hampton woman
