Westover man going through homicide costs amongst these indicted in Preston County

The person who allegedly confessed to the 1985 homicide of 13-year-old Jeremiah “Jerry” Matthew Watkins was indicted for first-degree homicide earlier this week by a Preston County grand jury.

In keeping with an article printed by The Dominion Submit on Nov. 13, 1985, the teenager had been reported lacking a couple of days prior to look events discovering his physique in a shallow gap by the railroad tracks in Terra Alta on Nov. 12, 1985.

An post-mortem of Watkins’ physique on the time confirmed he suffered a mind bleed from an obvious blow to the top, with the final word reason behind loss of life being a stab wound to the again, the legal criticism mentioned.

Regardless of practically 4 many years of continued efforts from a number of officers and departments to unravel the case, it wasn’t till Captain T.N. Tichnell started reviewing the chilly case in February of this yr and seen some inconsistencies with statements from a person named David Monroe Adams, 56, of Westover — who had been beforehand interviewed by investigators — that circumstances started to show.

Adams, who was 18 on the time of the homicide, was allegedly interviewed by Tichnell a number of instances earlier than ultimately confessing to killing the teenager and dumping his physique in that shallow grave by the practice tracks.

Adams allegedly advised the officer that an argument had began over a stolen bicycle at his then-residence in Terra Alta, earlier than he struck the boy within the face and took him to a shed the place he then stabbed him.

Adams additional admitted “he then dragged Jeremiah’s physique and positioned it within the shallow gap,” the criticism mentioned.

He was arrested following his confession and initially charged with second-degree homicide. That cost has since been upgraded to first-degree homicide following the investigation.

Adams is being held on a $1,000,000 bond at Tygart Valley Regional Jail.

Additionally amongst these indicted had been 5 people allegedly concerned within the October 2021 kidnapping and homicide of Jimmy Lee Barkley, 41, of Oakland, Md.

Court docket information allege the investigation into Barkley’s homicide exhibits he was forcibly taken from his residence in Oakland, stripped of his clothes, tied up and compelled right into a van, which took him throughout state strains to a cabin close to Eglon.

As soon as on the cabin, Barkley was allegedly shot by Damon Lamont Hudgens, 23, of Detroit. Hudgens was indicted final yr for first-degree homicide, kidnapping, concealment of a deceased human physique and conspiracy.

Now after additional investigation, Adam Matthew Shaffer, 37, of Eglon, and Alexandra Gabrielle Abbott, 32, of Mt. Lake Park, Md., had been each charged with kidnapping — accent earlier than the very fact and conspiracy.

Andrew William Wassick, 26, of Maidsville is going through costs for kidnapping, concealing a deceased human physique and conspiracy for his function within the crime.

Dashawn Nichelle Scott, 21, and Roy Tyson Cheshire, 22, each of Oakland, Md. had been every charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Scott and Cheshire had been every already sentenced to 25 years in jail for costs referring to the kidnapping in Maryland.

Remaining indictment costs from the newest Preston County grand jury embrace drug offenses, sexual abuse and assault costs, larceny, failure to register as a intercourse offender and others.

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