Bond deal made for murder suspect

View larger image Bradley Scott Gregory

Judge grants $100,000 bail under several conditions for man accused in New Year's Day slaying

By Candace Sipos -- csipos@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- A city man charged with murder and held in jail since the incident was granted $100,000 secured bond Monday as part of an agreement.

Bradley Scott Gregory, 27, of Winchester, was charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony following the Jan. 1 slaying of Michael Scott Shirley, 27, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

As of 6 p.m. Monday, Gregory had not yet posted bond and was still being held at the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center.

Judge David S. Whitacre granted the bond requested by Gregory's attorney, public defender Timothy S. Coyne, under several conditions.

Gregory must submit to alcohol and drug screenings and comply with an officer's request to search his home or person. He will be confined by a home electronic device to his parents' residence in the county and will be permitted to leave only for pre-trial services, attorney appointments and court appearances. He was only allowed bond with both of his parents' signatures.

In addition, Gregory must not possess a firearm, destructive device or any dangerous weapon. His parents complied with removing any firearms from the residence so their son would not have access to them, Coyne told Whitacre.

Gregory admitting to shooting Shirley, according to court documents. He got into an argument with Shirley at 1373 S. Timber Ridge Road around 1:10 a.m. that Sunday, according to Capt. John Heflin of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

Court documents state that Gregory then retrieved a handgun from his vehicle, loaded it and shot Shirley in the chest.

Shirley was dead when officers arrived at the scene, Heflin said.

Gregory appeared before Whitacre via video conferencing Jan. 3, but the judge said he would not grant bond due to the nature of the crimes. Whitacre asked Gregory if he wanted to comment on Commonwealth Attorney Glenn Williamson's request to hold him without bond, but he declined.

Technicians performed an autopsy on Shirley Jan. 2 at the Northern Laboratory in Manassas, but Heflin said he will not know the results for at least eight weeks from that date.