CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat who rose to be gubernatorial nominee in 2009 despite his reserved demeanor and humble farmland roots, was stabbed early Tuesday, apparently by his son, police said. Gus Deeds, 24, was found at his father's house in rural western Virginia, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. Authorities were still piecing together a motive and the circumstances that led up to the stabbing, but "we're leaning towards it being an attempted murder/suicide," Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said at an afternoon news conference.