Martinsville man sentenced to life in prison for death of cab driver

DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - James Edward Fultz was sentenced Monday afternoon for the January 10, 2021 murder of Wendy Harris as she was driving a cab in Danville.

She was found inside her taxi, with cuts to her head and neck on Gay Street in Danville.

Less than 12 hours later, James Fultz of Martinsville was arrested, and later charged with first degree murder in her death.

Warrants indicate Fultz and Harris had a dispute about money inside the cab before the incident happened.

Warrants also stated Fultz told police, “I killed someone,” during the arrest.

He was also charged with the December 27 robbery of Carter’s Quick Shoppe at 3103 West Main Street.

Christie Morris, an employee at Carter’s, said the robbery happened just a few hours after the store opened on the 27th, and that Morris took around $250 and a few lottery tickets.

James Edward Fultz maintained his innocence Monday in circuit court as he had pled not guilty before his trial in December.

He expressed remorse to the family of the victim who investigators say Fultz had no known connection to.

Fultz’s only chance to get out of jail would be geriatric parole.

He was sentenced to serve life in prison for the first-degree murder charge and 50 years for the robbery (40 years suspended). The total sentencing amounts to life plus ten years.