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Two missing people found over weekend, another reported missing

Monongalia County Sheriff Perry Palmer said his department is still investigating the death of 32-year-old Melanie Marie Gardner and did not have any updates in the case as of Monday afternoon. Gardner, who had been reported missing on Oct. 3, was found on Saturday during a large search party organized by her family. According to a press release from Palmer’s office following the search, Gardner’s Jeep was found in a remote location off Casteel Road in Hazelton. Her remains were positively identified as Gardner and a medical examiner was called to the scene. Police have yet ...

Preston County’s new magistrate sworn in

KINGWOOD — Preston County’s newest magistrate was sworn in Friday afternoon. Peggy Pase was sworn in by Circuit Court Judge Stephen Shaffer. She will finish the term left vacant by the September death of Cindy Diann McCrobie, who was elected in 2022. “I have a passion for law and I believed it was a time for a career change,” Pase said.” I’ve been working in Child Protective Services for three years. I loved the job, but it’s time to serve my community in a different manner.” Child Protective Services (CPS) is responsible for the assessment, investigation and ...

Abraham: Requested information secured at Southern Regional Jail

CHARLESTON — Justice administration Chief of Staff Brian Abraham said Thursday he’s hopeful a federal judge will consider evidence about conditions at the Southern Regional Jail is now secure and regular proceedings toward a possible trial can resume. Two state workers who said the documents no longer existed were fired. Abraham said the grievances in connection with conditions at the jail have always been at the jail despite what two now-former state workers told a federal magistrate judge. “All of the documents, such as the electronic grievances, as well as paper ...

Administration again says evidence in federal jails case wasn’t intentionally destroyed

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice said state workers should lose their jobs or even be subject to criminal charges if they were responsible for destroying a range of potential evidence in a federal lawsuit over conditions at the Southern Regional Jail. But administration officials two weeks in a row have said they do not believe the destruction represents intentional acts. A federal magistrate judge wrote this week that it defies logic that lost evidence from email accounts, cell phones, text messages, Criminal Investigation Division reports and other electronic and paper data would ...

Arrest made after early morning altercation on High Street

Monongalia County Sheriff's Department officials say deputies are putting together the narrative of events that occurred during an alleged fight on High Street at approximately 4:18 a.m. the morning of Oct. 27. An arrest was made after the altercation was broken up by a deputy who was in the ...

Violent teen fight in Westover ends with injuries, arrest

At least one teen is hospitalized, and others were treated for injuries after what is being described as a “melee” between a group of teenagers on Millan Street in Westover at around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. An 18-year-old female is in custody in relation to the fight. Westover Police ...