WEEKEND MAYHEM IN MINGO COUNTY:
ARMED ROBBERY APARTMENT INVASION GOES AWRY,LEADING INSTEAD TO MURDER, ARSON, CARNAGE, AND SEVERAL FAMILIES HOMELESS… IN SEPARATE CASE, MINGO COUNTY MAN SHOOTS & KILLS GRANDFATHER
POLICE IN WILLIAMSON, WEST VIRGINIA CLAIM TRIO INTENDED TO STEAL DRUGS AND MONEY FROM TWO WOMEN REPORTEDLY HIDING IN VACANT TOP FLOOR APARTMENT, FINDING INSTEAD A MAN, WHO WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME
MAY 18, 2020 – written by WADE QUEEN
One man is dead, several injured, and five families have been left homeless and losing all of their possessions, after a fire Saturday morning, in which Williamson, West Virginia police say it was set on purpose in a vacant third floor apartment, after a misguided robbery attempt by three men went fatally awry.
Timothy Sloane, a resident living at the apartment said he had always felt safe living at the complex for five years.
That was, until waking up to smoke and flames on Saturday morning, leading Mr. Sloane to crawl out through the front door. Timothy Sloane said fire fighters came quickly to the scene.
According to the Williamson Police Department, they ascertained from multiple witness statements that the information they had gathered led them to believe James Church, Terry Jarvis and Charles Jarvis broke in to steal money and drugs from two women thought to be staying inside the vacant apartment.
Officers say that when the three men showed up at the apartment the suspects instead found a man inside.
The WPD report said that witnesses told investigators that the three men, Church and both of the Jarvis,’ then assaulted the man and then lit the apartment on fire.
According to Timothy Sloane, he said he did not know the third floor apartment was supposed to be vacant.
“People have been running in and out the last couple of days prior to that,” said Mr. Sloane. “I heard someone arguing and screaming but I did not know quite what was going on and I went back to bed.”
Williamson police chief Grady Dotson said they are unsure on the victim’s cause of death.
One suspect, James Church, 33, has been arrested on Sunday for murder and arson, and also separately four other warrants out of Cabell County, West Virginia.. Warrants are also out on those same Mingo County charges for Terry Jarvis and Charles Jarvis, who have fled the local scene.
“We got some information that they may be on their way to Ohio,” Chief Dotson said.
Chief Dotson said there is also warrants out for the two women who first broke into the vacant apartment.
The apartment had been locked for some time and a maintenance crew had checked it days before the fire, according to police.
“Honestly the saddest part in all this is that an individual lost his life,” Chief Dotson said. “Also not only the loss of life there was people inside that apartment that lost all their valuables, I mean they lost their homes.”
Five people were also injured during the fire including two firefighters who were treated for burns to their face and ears.
Those flames rekindled at the apartment building and fire crews were on scene Sunday to put them out.
If anyone has information on where the suspects, Terry Jarvis and Charles Jarvis are, they are asked to contact the Williamson Police Department.
James Church is being held in the Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden, West Virginia, which is in Logan County.
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MINGO COUNTY MAN BRUTALLY GUNS DOWN HIS GRANDFATHER
A man is facing murder charges after deputies say he shot and killed his grandfather over the weekend in Mingo County.
According to the Mingo County Sheriff Department deputies, David Manns is facing one count of first degree murder and three counts of wanton endangerment.
The shooting happened on Sunday on Scarlet Road in the Delbarton area. According to the Mingo County Sheriff department criminal complaint, David Homer Lee Manns, 37, verbally threatened to kill his grandfather, Homer Manns, before shooting him multiple times, killing him. David Manns also fired shots at three other people.
Now, his family is mourning after their patriarch, a man in his mid-80s, was allegedly shot and killed by his own grandson.
“How much evil can he have in him to do that?” Homer Manns’ son, Terry Manns, said. “He literally murdered my daddy,” said Trina Clay, who is Homer Manns’ daughter. “He shot him and shot him and shot him.”
Terry Manns said Sunday morning, Homer Manns called police after his grandson, David Manns, stole his 4-wheeler and some knives out of his home on Scarlet Road in Delbarton. David stayed in a camper behind Homer’s home.
Terry Manns said when the deputies arrived, David Manns took off running into the woods.
Terry Manns also said about half an hour later, while the deputies were still in the area but out of view, David reappeared and approached his grandfather with his hands behind his back.
“He pulled two guns out and said ‘I’m going to kill you, I’m going to kill you,’ ” Terry Manns claimed.
“He walked over here and emptied both guns at the same time on my dad.”
The shooting happened outside Terry Manns’ house, which is just down the road from Homer Manns’ home. Terry Manns stated he was on his porch and witnessed the shooting.
Terry says after shooting Homer, David dropped the guns and surrendered.
“He threw the guns down and said ‘I give up, I give up,’ ” Terry said.
“As soon as he shot, he was smart enough to throw the guns down and raise his hands,” Trina Clay said. “How can you expect two deputies to shoot an unarmed man?”
Terry Manns stated David Manns had gotten the guns out of Homer’s house.
“It’s sad,” Terry Manns said. “I don’t know how you could have it in your body to kill your own grandpa. I don’t understand why he could do that.”
Family members say David has had drug and mental problems, but his grandfather Homer never gave up on trying to help David. They said Homer raised him as his own and even legally adopted him.
“He will spend the rest of his life in an insane asylum with us taxpayers paying for it,” Trina Clay claimed, “because I don’t think West Virginia has the death penalty, which is sad for something like this when it’s true, blatant, cold-blooded murder, and it’s a shame.”
“He was the best dad in the world,” Terry Manns said of his father, Homer Manns.
David Manns is being held in the Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden, West Virginia, which is in Logan County.
