Police Narrow Leads in W.Va. Shootings (Investigating possible drug link)

Associated Press (posted at Guardian) ^ | Aug. 19, 2003 | Joedy McCreary

[mountaineer]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Investigators have narrowed hundreds of tips to 10 solid leads in their probe of sniper shootings that killed three people outside Charleston-area convenience stores, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators also are pursuing a possible drug link in at least two of the shootings, Kanawha County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Phil Morris said.

Interviews with Campbells Creek residents uncovered public concerns about the sale and use of methamphetamines in the unincorporated area where two of the victims lived and where one of the shootings occurred.

``We would be remiss in not mentioning the possible drug connection,'' Morris told reporters. ``A number of people we have talked with are trying to tie this to drugs.''

Morris would not say if the victims had drug ties or if one shooter was involved. He also said investigators had not determined whether the victims knew each other. The two Campbells Creek residents, Jeanie Patton, 31, and Okey Meadows Jr., 26, were slain Thursday night. The shootings occurred 90 minutes apart at convenience stores 10 miles from each other. Four days earlier, Gary Carrier Jr., 44, of South Charleston, was shot to death while talking on a pay phone outside a Charleston convenience store.

Campbells Creek is about 10 miles east of Charleston, and residents say drug use is on the rise.

``Pills and meth and the hard stuff has swept through here just over the last couple of years,'' said David Roy, of nearby Point Lick Hollow.

Before the shootings and interviews, the sheriff's department had received no complaints of people purchasing, selling and using drugs in Campbells Creek, Morris said.

Deputies returned to the community Tuesday to conduct additional door-to-door interviews.

``We're not saying there isn't a random (shooter),'' Morris said. ``We're not saying they (residents) can stop looking over their shoulder. We're simply saying there is a drug problem in Campbells Creek, and we're looking at it very seriously.''

All three shootings occurred at night from distances of 30 yards to 60 yards. Each victim was shot in the neck or head by a small caliber rifle.

Kanawha County Sheriff David Tucker said Tuesday his department was awaiting ballistics test results. The sheriff's department has not released the bullet caliber. Tucker said investigators continue to make progress.

``We are dealing with a lot of information. We've got a little over 100 leads,'' Tucker said. ``We have come out with 10 good leads we feel we have to follow up on.''

In addition to talking to Campbells Creek residents, Tucker said investigators are following other leads in the county and ``a little further out.'' He declined to provide specifics.

Police were looking for a dark Ford F-150 extended cab pickup. Authorities originally said the driver was a large white male, but have since said eyewitness descriptions may have been obscured because of darkness.

Meanwhile, two Kanawha County Wal-Mart stores have pulled hunt-and-shoot style video games from their shelves.

``We have not made a corporate decision to remove these games from our store shelves,'' company spokeswoman Melissa Berryhill said Tuesday from Bentonville, Ark. ``Individual store managers can make a decision based on what they feel is right for the community.''

One store is in Carrier's hometown of South Charleston. The other is in the nearby city of Nitro.

[mountaineer]

Heard about this new drug angle on tonight's 6 p.m. news.

[blam]

Thanks for the post.

[dmeara]

Ok, large white angry male dealing drugs.. but are they sure he is not driving a white van?

[Atlas Sneezed]

Bang

[mountaineer]

ping

[gorush]

Remember the white van in the original sniper case? The first reports are usually wrong...we'll see.

[mountaineer]

Sounds like the identification of a large white man as the shooter is not quite so definite.

[StriperSniper]

Authorities originally said the driver was a large white male, but have since said eyewitness descriptions may have been obscured because of darkness.

More institutional racism, a clear case of racial profiling.....NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE!

[11B3]

And here I thought that this case was an attempt to get the AWB passed again. Now it looks as though the police are resorting to their time honored tradition of blaming it all on drugs when they can't find the real reason behind the crimes.

Ineptitude strikes again.

[GOP_Proud]

I live 15 miles from 2 of the shootings.

You honestly do not know how funny it is to hear police say they are looking for an overweight white guy driving a dark, double cab truck.

Uhh...that would cover about 50% of the population here.

[StriperSniper]

Yeah, if the guy was out to silence people who could have fingered him as a dealer, or to get even with deadbeat buyers, what are the chances that he would be able to find all three of them out and shoot them in three different places all in one night? Lame.

[StriperSniper]

I'm in Jersey and assumed the same!

(Sorry for profiling ;-)

[Nouge]

Meanwhile, two Kanawha County Wal-Mart stores have pulled hunt-and-shoot style video games from their shelves.

Good move... That will stop all future killings!! I mean, there were never shootings before video games... It's simple logic.

[flutters]

Thanks for the ping.

Interesting update. I've noticed a lot of drug bust in and around the Parkersburg area during the past year or two. It sounds like meth labs are running rampant in the hills.

I imagine if it is drug related, it would bring some relief to the community. Those that avoid such characters are relatively safe from the sniper.

[stlnative]

One was shot on a Sunday night and 2 were shot on a Thursday night about 1 hour apart. 3 Killings over a 4 day stretch

[StriperSniper]

Oops! Thanks for the correction. I haven't been paying close attention and thought they were all on that Thursday night.

[Glenn]

I've read that Oxycontin (sp) is all the rage in places like WV, NC, SC and VA. People I know whom I never would have guessed would get caught up in it have forged prescriptions to get it. I've taken it and I just don't get it. Guess you have to put it up your nose to get the "high". All I ever got was cramps.

[white trash redneck]

Now it looks as though the police are resorting to their time honored tradition of blaming it all on drugs when they can't find the real reason behind the crimes.

Amen to that. Chances are that the reputations of innocent victims are being dragged through the mud as being "linked to drugs." If the cops have clear evidence that the victims were in the drug trade, they should put it out there. If doing so would jeopardize the investigation, then the entire drug issue shouldn't be mentioned until after the crime has been solved.

Methinks the cops are putting this out there to calm the sheeple, since the thought of a random sniper is much more troubling than the thought of druggies killing one another.

[sonsofliberty2000]

Oxycontin is the rage is at least Gilbert, WV, a small rural area in Southern WV. My aunt and uncle run a ministry in Wheeling (northern WV for all you geo-illiterates :-p ) and are originally from there just like I was. It has caused all kinds of issues from people going bankrupt from wasting all their money on it to businesses closing due to the same reasons. Its some bad stuff.

Patriot Paradox

[sonsofliberty2000]

Thanks for the heads up!

Patriot Paradox