Friends Remember Slain Trooper, Memorial Service Details

Updated on Monday, June 5, 2023 at 7:06 p.m.

Over the weekend, State Police Sgt. Cory Maynard was shot and killed in the line of duty near Matewan in Mingo County. Those who knew him say the Williamson and Mingo County communities will suffer without his presence.

Williamson Public Health Nurse Jimmy Copley said Cory Maynard was more like a brother than a friend. He said the 37-year-old husband and father would show as much care to a homeless person or recovering drug addict as to his own wife and children – and his devotion to helping all children live better lives was unmatched. 

“He had actually called me a few days before all this happened,” Copley said. “He wanted to try to get with the Mingo County Health Department and come up with a summer program for kids to be out helping clean up the community.”

Childhood friend Rachel Siggers can name countless examples of Maynard’s compassion for others. The Williamson school mental health worker told the story of an unruly child – impossible for anyone to deal with. She called Maynard and asked him to come and be “bad cop” to her “good cop.” She said he came without hesitation, but didn’t follow the script.

“He was in the room with the kid for five minutes. And he’s buddied up with him and being soft with him,” Siggers said. “And, I’m looking at him like, that’s not what I asked you to do. He said, ‘Rachel, I couldn’t do it, he just needed somebody to love him.’”

Siggers said Maynard called daily after that to check on the child’s progress, coming back to talk with the child in person when necessary.  

Williamson nurse April Hensley said Maynard was helping her son chart a career course – a son who aspired to be what Maynard took the greatest pride in – serving as a West Virginia State Trooper.  

“Cory guided him and told him things that he needed to do and just really tried to help him,” Hensley said. “He was never off the clock. Anytime that anyone needed him, he was there. He’s not replaceable, and our community will suffer because of this.”

Jimmy Copley said Maynard had the makings of a State Police leader. 

“He was absolutely proud of his time in the state police,” Copley said. “He was a long-term serving veteran and had climbed the ranks to sergeant and probably would have kept climbing. He was that good and that dedicated to his profession.”

His friends agreed – Maynard was selfless and genuine.

“He wanted the world to be a better place,” Copley said. “He saw the good and the potential good in everything. It didn’t matter. He saw your good and that’s what he wanted. He wanted to bring the good out.”

“His entrance into a room changed the atmosphere in the room,” Siggers said. “He could walk in the room, and just look at you and smile and everything would be alright. His loss is a void that I don’t know if we’ll ever get over.”

From the obituary issued by Evans Funeral Home: Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at the Mingo Central High School at Delbarton, WV, with Major Jim Mitchell officiating.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 7, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Mingo Central High School at Delbarton, WV.

Pallbearers will be Damien Hart-Shepherd University PD, Tyler Hannon-WVSP, Jim Hannon-Retired OH Highway Patrol, Jonathan Ziegler-WVSP, Thomas Boggs-WVSP, and Kyle Johnson-WVSP.

The procession route to honor the life of Sgt. Cory S. Maynard will proceed from Mingo Central High School onto King Coal Highway, continuing onto Route 65, continuing onto Route 52, continuing onto 119 North to Chapmanville, WV.

As per his final wishes, Cory was a tissue donor, and his giving heart and spirit will live on in the lives of those who are the recipients of his gift of life. Also, in honoring his wishes, his remains will be cremated following the services