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Cops and Courts

MPD says missing woman found safe and sound

The story of a missing West Virginia University student went viral in the Morgantown and Pittsburgh area Tuesday after social media posts alerted the community of her apparent disappearance from the Pittsburgh International Airport on Jan. 28. The posts said 22-year-old Taylor Mras, said to be a senior at WVU, was last seen at the airport boarding a plane to Tampa, Fla., but had not discussed her travel plans with anyone and had left most of her possessions, including her dog, behind.  The posts alleged she may have been a victim of human trafficking. The Dominion Post ...

Man accused in Milford Street murder waives prelim

The Texas man accused of stabbing 26-year-old Jacob Lough to death in his Milford Street home waived his right to a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday morning in Monongalia County Magistrate Court. The case against Jonathan Ramirez, 23, of Watauga, Texas, will now be transferred to ...

Preston County losing sheriff’s deputies over working conditions

KINGWOOD — Preston County is losing sheriff’s deputies due to low pay and complaints about working conditions caused by the flooding in December. The latest letter of resignation dropped the county’s allotted 20 deputies to 14. “I am writing you to announce that I have decided to resign my employment from the Preston County sheriff’s office effective February 5, 2024. I appreciate the opportunity that Sheriff Pritt and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office has given me to develop my professional skills and my career,” the latest deputy to resign wrote. The letter ...

Bill allowing DNA collection for felony crimes struck down

CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates defeated a bill Thursday that would have allowed DNA to be collected by police from those arrested for some felony crimes. Following a long debate, delegates defeated HB 4627 on a 30-66 vote. The bill would have allowed police to collect DNA from a person arrested for a felony crime “of violence against a person, burglary or felony offense where the victim was a minor child.” The DNA collected would be stored until the completion of the criminal case against the person arrested. If the person was eventually found to be not guilty or the ...

Judge rejects Justice defense on $300 million liabilities

CHARLESTON — A judge has rejected an argument that claims on $300 million in personally guaranteed liabilities should be set aside for Gov. Jim Justice and his family’s companies. In a filing, the judge has invited a lawyer representing Justice’s longtime lender Carter Bank & Trust to prepare an order that would be a major milestone in collecting the debt. The debts were personally guaranteed by Jim Justice, his wife Cathy and their son Jay, who runs the family’s coal operations. The debts applied to several branches of the family’s business network, but the most ...

Newly launched online magistrate court database brings court info home

Residents of West Virginia will now have easier access to county magistrate court filings from the comfort of home — or wherever you might be.  In an effort to make court records more accessible, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Chief Justice Tim Armstead announced the new ...