The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department continues its search for “armed and dangerous” murder suspect Chance Austin Williams, 23, of Morgantown, but no additional details or information was released Wednesday as to the progress of the search.
The sheriff asks anyone with information on Williams’ whereabouts call the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office at 304-291-7260 or MECCA 911.
A press release authorized by Sheriff Perry Palmer Tuesday afternoon named Williams as the main suspect in the murder of Jamey Lynn Corbin, 47, of Fairmont, who was found dead in a crashed vehicle on Green Bag Road near Luckey Lane at around 4:10 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Police on scene determined that Corbin died of injuries not consistent with a car accident and a second person, who they believe to be Williams, left the vehicle and scene before law enforcement arrived.
An update to the release several hours later stated detectives had obtained an arrest warrant for Williams, charging him with first-degree murder. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, he had not been taken into custody.
The sheriff did not release what type of injuries were inflicted on Corbin that led law enforcement to believe he was murdered. Chief Deputy Mark Ralston said Tuesday the department would not comment on a potential cause of Corbin’s death until they received confirmation from the medical examiner.
Palmer said no further information would be released at this time.
Many local residents have commented on the information that was released Tuesday via the sheriff’s department Facebook page and expressed concerns and frustration with law enforcement’s failure to notify nearby schools about a potentially armed and dangerous suspect in the area.
Monongalia County Schools officials confirmed Wednesday that they learned of the murder from media reports and social media posts.
The sheriff’s department did not respond to a request for comment on why law enforcement officials did not alert school officials.
