[Richard Alvin Ausley], 64, was strangled and beaten to death in his two-man cell at Sussex I State Prison between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. In May, [Dewey Keith Venable] was indicted on a charge of capital murder.

At the time he was slain, Ausley was the most notorious child molester in Virginia. Largely because Ausley was about to make parole, a new state law was enacted allowing dangerous sexual predators to be locked up indefinitely in treatment centers once their prison sentences have been completed.

Venable's lawyer, R. Clinton Clary of Lawrenceville, said Venable is scheduled to be arraigned in Sussex Circuit Court on Aug. 18. Pretrial motions will also be made.