Christopher Dudley

Susan Dudley

Andrew Ottinger

Bedford County authorities said they have arrested three Waynesboro residents in connection with the death of a man whose body was found on a bank of the James River earlier this month.

The two men and one woman were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree. Arrested were Christopher M. Dudley, 28; his wife, Susan J. Dudley, 24; and Andrew C. Ottinger, 22.

The body of Sean Peter Placko, 42, of Churchville in Augusta County, was found by a fisherman about 8:30 a.m. on March 7 near the Snowden Bridge in the Big Island community of Bedford County. His body was taken to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke for an autopsy. Officials there said Wednesday that they still are trying to determine the manner and cause of Placko's death.

Maj. Ricky Gardner of the Bedford County Sheriff's Office said investigators are not disclosing any possible motive for Placko's death, but he described the three suspects as acquaintances of Placko's.

All three are being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail in Bedford.