Murder Charge Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Suspect In Trooper’s Murder To Undergo Mental Evaluation

Mingo County Circuit Clerk Lonnie Hannah confirmed that a bond hearing for 29-year-old Timothy Kennedy scheduled for June 26 is now on hold, pending a mental health evaluation.

Kennedy is charged with first-degree murder in the June 2 shooting death of West Virginia State Police Sgt. Cory Maynard.

Police say Kennedy shot and killed Maynard, who was responding to a shots fired call, in what appears to have been an ambush set up for responding officers. Maynard was captured after police say he stole a car and a seven hour manhunt.

Kennedy is also the suspect in the June 2 shooting of 39-year-old Benjamin Baldwin of Matewan. Police said to expect more charges against Kennedy.

Mingo County Prosecutor Duke Jewell previously said all charges beyond the first-degree murder charge will be addressed after the evidence is fully analyzed.

Kennedy remains jailed without bond, pending the outcome of the mental health evaluation.

Alleged Murderer Of Trooper Pleads Not Guilty, Bond Denied

State Police said Kennedy ambushed Sgt. Cory Maynard and other troopers responding to a shots fired call last Friday in the Beech Creek area of Matewan.

Twenty-nine-year-old Timothy Kennedy, of Beech Creek, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a first-degree murder charge in front of Mingo County Circuit Court Judge Miki Thompson.

State Police said Kennedy ambushed Sgt. Cory Maynard and other troopers responding to a shots fired call last Friday in the Beech Creek area of Matewan.

The 37-year-old Maynard was shot in the incident and taken to Logan Regional Medical Center where he died from his injuries.

Police say Kennedy was captured after a nearly seven-hour manhunt late that night. They say he also stole a vehicle before he was arrested.

Police say the shots fired call came after Benjamin Baldwin, 39, from Matewan, was shot with a rifle. Baldwin remains hospitalized, last reported on Monday in serious but stable condition, still in intensive care.

More charges involving Baldwin and the stolen vehicle are expected to be filed against Kennedy.

Kennedy remains jailed without bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Thursday where probable cause will be decided.

Trooper Maynard’s memorial service will take place Wednesday at Mingo Central High School.

Man Charged With Killing Police Officer Goes On Trial

The trial for a West Virginia man charged with murder in the fatal shooting a police officer has begun after a judge denied a motion to move proceedings out of Kanawha County.

Testimony began Monday in the trial of Joshua Phillips, who is charged with killing Charleston Police Officer Cassie Johnson, 28, in 2020 when she responded to a parking lot complaint, news outlets reported.

Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey denied a defense motion to move the trial, saying the standard is not whether jurors know the facts of the case but whether they held such fixed opinions that they could not impartially judge the defendant.

“I find that we have a group of potential jurors that have indicated they can be fair and impartial in consideration of this case,” she said.

A jury of nine women and four men heard opening statements in which defense attorney John Sullivan said the question in the case is not whether Phillips shot Johnson, but whether he did so deliberately and maliciously. Sullivan said Phillips was acting in “fear and self-defense.”

Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Michele Drummond said the state will present evidence that Johnson was worried about her safety leading up to the shooting. Drummond said Phillips pulled a gun, prevented Johnson from getting to her gun and struggled with her before shots were fired.

W.Va. Top Court Upholds Murder Conviction

West Virginia’s highest court has rejected the appeal of a Pennsylvania man convicted of murdering a West Virginia man and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The Supreme Court says the trial judge correctly denied the attempt by Rocco Zuccaro, of Burgettstown, to raise allegations that 30-year-old Jason Pratz sold guns and drugs, exposing him to unknown dangerous people who killed him.

Chief Justice Allen Loughry writes that Zuccaro offered no evidence supporting those allegations.

The top court also rejected his claims of insufficient evidence convict him and prejudice by not getting his trial moved from Brooke County.

Zuccaro was convicted of first-degree murder in the February 2013 killing at Pratz’s home in McKinleyville.

Zuccaro escaped in 2015 briefly from a Weston hospital, where he underwent a psychiatric evaluation.

W.Va. Police Ask FBI if Teen's Death was Hate Crime

Police in West Virginia say a 62-year-old white man killed a black 15-year-old after they bumped into each other and exchanged words. The case is under review as a possible hate crime.

A complaint signed by Charleston Police Detective C.C. Lioi says William Pulliam confessed and described the teen as “another piece of trash off the street.”

Court officials say Pulliam was arraigned on a murder charge and jailed Tuesday. He has requested a court-appointed lawyer.

According to city police, the teen was shot Monday evening at an intersection and taken by ambulance to a Charleston hospital, where he was pronounced dead from two gunshot wounds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Ruby says authorities are “in the early stages” of reviewing whether the shooting falls within the federal hate crimes statute.