2003 West Virginia sniper
Encyclopedia
The 2003 West Virginia sniper attacks were a series of sniper
-style shootings that took place over the course of several days in August 2003, leaving three people dead in the U.S.
state of West Virginia
. The shootings were reminiscent of the Beltway sniper attacks
that took place in Maryland
, Virginia
, and Washington, DC in the fall of 2002.
The victims in the West Virginia sniper shootings were killed by a single bullet from long distances as they stopped at shops or gas stations. All three victims were killed late at night by the same kind of small-caliber rifle
, although police have not determined if all three were murdered with the same weapon. Ballistic
tests show that a .22-caliber rifle was used to kill the second and third victims. The first bullet could not be completely checked due to damage, but appeared to have similar characteristics to the other two bullets.
Police said that they were looking for a dark-colored full-size pickup truck
. Eyewitnesses believed that the driver was a large white male, but couldn't identify the suspect further due to the darkness. A man was eventually arrested who matched this profile and who had implied to witnesses that he was the sniper, but no charges related to the shootings were ever brought against him.
The police considered the possibility that the shootings were drug-related. The second two victims had drug connections, but the police were not aware of any drug connections for the first victim.
About five months earlier, while exiting a local Kroger supermarket, Randy Burgess was shot twice in the chest sniper-style and died the next day. Although no hard evidence connected this murder with the three that would follow, law enforcement did not dismiss the possibility.
In October 2003, a joint task force investigating the shootings announced a $
50,000 reward for information leading to the killer.
This reward would later be increased to $100,000.
In January 2007, a public access TV show host presented a theory that a gang called the Charleston Five carried out the shootings. Andy Palmer, who at the time was the host of “West Virginia’s Most Wanted,” claimed that two victims were chosen randomly to throw suspicion off the gang for killing its intended target, Jeanie Patton. According to Palmer, the leader of the gang sought to murder Patton because her boyfriend had stolen a car engine that belonged to him. The theory was not confirmed at the time though.
On March 31, 2011, local area resident Shawn Lester was arrested and charged with the murder of Jeannie Patton. He is being held without bail.
Large excavation equipment is currently being used to dig on a 53 acre plot of property owned by a woman that is believed to have provided shelter and comfort to not only Shawn Lester, but to other members of his criminal gang. Local law enforcement suspects that the pickup truck used in at least two of the murders may be buried on the property, and possibly the bodies of additional murder victims.
A key witness that had identified Lester as the shooter shortly after the murder was, essentially, ignored by the Kanawha County Sherrif's Department -- even though he had passed a polygraph test. When law enforcement failed to act on his information, he agreed to be a guest [anonymously] on a local Public-access television
program named "West Virginia's Most Wanted", hosted by Andrew Palmer. Discredited at the time, the witness and Palmer have been vindicated.
At some time before the three successive murders, the witness's younger brother had stolen an automobile engine belonging to Lester that had a large quantity of methamphetamine hidden inside. Lester later confided in the witness that "he had taken something important to me, so I'll take something important to him. Keep an eye on the news".
Jeannie Patton was the longtime girlfriend of the witness's younger brother.
As Palmer pointed out in his show, the murder of Okie Meadows Jr, about an hour later and ten miles away, and the murder of Carrier were committed in order to make the murder of Patton appear random.
Lester was indicted for the three murders in August 2011.http://www.dailymail.com/policebrfs/201108040966
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
-style shootings that took place over the course of several days in August 2003, leaving three people dead in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The shootings were reminiscent of the Beltway sniper attacks
Beltway sniper attacks
The Washington sniper attacks took place during three weeks in October 2002 in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Ten people were killed and three others critically injured in various locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia...
that took place in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and Washington, DC in the fall of 2002.
The victims in the West Virginia sniper shootings were killed by a single bullet from long distances as they stopped at shops or gas stations. All three victims were killed late at night by the same kind of small-caliber rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
, although police have not determined if all three were murdered with the same weapon. Ballistic
Ballistics
Ballistics is the science of mechanics that deals with the flight, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and accelerating projectiles so as to achieve a desired performance.A ballistic body is a body which is...
tests show that a .22-caliber rifle was used to kill the second and third victims. The first bullet could not be completely checked due to damage, but appeared to have similar characteristics to the other two bullets.
Police said that they were looking for a dark-colored full-size pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. Eyewitnesses believed that the driver was a large white male, but couldn't identify the suspect further due to the darkness. A man was eventually arrested who matched this profile and who had implied to witnesses that he was the sniper, but no charges related to the shootings were ever brought against him.
The police considered the possibility that the shootings were drug-related. The second two victims had drug connections, but the police were not aware of any drug connections for the first victim.
About five months earlier, while exiting a local Kroger supermarket, Randy Burgess was shot twice in the chest sniper-style and died the next day. Although no hard evidence connected this murder with the three that would follow, law enforcement did not dismiss the possibility.
In October 2003, a joint task force investigating the shootings announced a $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50,000 reward for information leading to the killer.
This reward would later be increased to $100,000.
In January 2007, a public access TV show host presented a theory that a gang called the Charleston Five carried out the shootings. Andy Palmer, who at the time was the host of “West Virginia’s Most Wanted,” claimed that two victims were chosen randomly to throw suspicion off the gang for killing its intended target, Jeanie Patton. According to Palmer, the leader of the gang sought to murder Patton because her boyfriend had stolen a car engine that belonged to him. The theory was not confirmed at the time though.
On March 31, 2011, local area resident Shawn Lester was arrested and charged with the murder of Jeannie Patton. He is being held without bail.
Large excavation equipment is currently being used to dig on a 53 acre plot of property owned by a woman that is believed to have provided shelter and comfort to not only Shawn Lester, but to other members of his criminal gang. Local law enforcement suspects that the pickup truck used in at least two of the murders may be buried on the property, and possibly the bodies of additional murder victims.
A key witness that had identified Lester as the shooter shortly after the murder was, essentially, ignored by the Kanawha County Sherrif's Department -- even though he had passed a polygraph test. When law enforcement failed to act on his information, he agreed to be a guest [anonymously] on a local Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
program named "West Virginia's Most Wanted", hosted by Andrew Palmer. Discredited at the time, the witness and Palmer have been vindicated.
At some time before the three successive murders, the witness's younger brother had stolen an automobile engine belonging to Lester that had a large quantity of methamphetamine hidden inside. Lester later confided in the witness that "he had taken something important to me, so I'll take something important to him. Keep an eye on the news".
Jeannie Patton was the longtime girlfriend of the witness's younger brother.
As Palmer pointed out in his show, the murder of Okie Meadows Jr, about an hour later and ten miles away, and the murder of Carrier were committed in order to make the murder of Patton appear random.
Lester was indicted for the three murders in August 2011.http://www.dailymail.com/policebrfs/201108040966
Victims
- August 10, 2003: Gary Carrier Jr., 44, of South CharlestonSouth Charleston, West VirginiaSouth Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
, was fatally shot in the head while talking on a payphone outside a Charleston, West VirginiaCharleston, West VirginiaCharleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
Go-MartGo-MartGo-Mart, Inc. is a convenience store chain based out of Gassaway, West Virginia. The company currently operates 100 stores in most of the state of West Virginia, and border areas of Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio...
. - August 14, 2003: Both victims were residents of Campbells Creek, West Virginia. They were slain 90 minutes and 10 miles apart.
- Jeanie Patton, 31, was killed at a SpeedwaySpeedway SuperAmericaSpeedway LLC is the operator of a chain of combination gas stations and convenience stores in the Midwest and South of the United States operating under the Speedway brand name. Speedway LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Marathon Petroleum Company...
filling station around 10:30. She was struck by a bullet to the back of her head as she was about to pay for gas she pumped. - Okey Meadows Jr., 26, was shot in the neck while purchasing milk and paying for it through a security window at the Go-Mart on U.S. 60.
- Jeanie Patton, 31, was killed at a Speedway
External links
- W. Virginia fears slayings work of serial killer - CNN, August 16, 2003
- Investigators question 100 people in sniper-like killings - CNN, August 18, 2003
- D.C.-area sniper investigators aid West Virginia police - CNN, August 19, 2003
- A year later, sniper deaths still a mystery - Charleston Daily Mail, August 10, 2004