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Authorities connect blaze in Lewis County to Kanawha suicide

BY CHRIS LAWRENCE CHARLESTON — A Lewis County man, a suspect in a deadly arson fire that claimed multiple lives, took his own life in eastern Kanawha County Monday morning, a few hours after the blaze was reported. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department said Luke Wilson, 45, of Walkersville, was knocking on the door of a family member in Hugheston at around 3:30 a.m. Monday. Deputies were dispatched there a short time later because Wilson was a suspect in a suspicious fire on Glady Creek Road, near the community of Ireland in Lewis County. Kanawha County Chief Deputy Joe ...

Murder suspect takes stand in own defense, claims alibi

The fate of Cleotis Eppes, 49, the Detroit area man accused in the May 2022 murder of Matthew Moore, now lies in the hands of the 12 men and women of the jury as they begin their deliberations Tuesday morning at the Monongalia County Justice Center. Eppes is charged with murder in the first ...

Prosecution rests in Mon County murder trial – defense begins Monday

Prosecutors Gabrielle “Gabe” Mucciola and Brandon Benchoff rested their case Friday afternoon in the first-degree murder trial of Cleotis Eppes, confident they presented enough evidence over three days of testimony to meet the state’s burden of proof for a guilty verdict.  Defense ...

Murder trial continues in Mon County

Testimony continued Thursday in the trial of Cleotis Cortez-Paul Eppes, Jr, 49, who faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy.  Victim Matthew Moore was found lying face-down in the middle of Round Bottom Road which runs behind Ashton Estates off of Smithtown Road ...

Fraternal Order of Police: ‘No Confidence in MPD Chief Eric Powell’

On March 6, the members of the Monongalia and Preston County Lodge #87 of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) issued a press release stating they had taken a vote of “No Confidence” regarding Morgantown Police Chief Eric Powell.   Lodge 87 has about 150 members, made up of current and ...

Day 2 of Moore murder trial – Romano gives his version of events

The trial for one of the men accused in the May 2022 murder of Matthew Moore continued Wednesday with opening statements from attorneys and testimony from 10 people. Cleotis Cortez-Paul Eppes Jr., 49, of the Detroit area, also known as “Ghost,” faces charges for first degree murder, ...