Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Huntington, WV: Girlfriend stabbed, body hidden


July 29, 2009 @ 08:48 AM

HUNTINGTON — Court documents state a 23-year-old man fatally stabbed his girlfriend in the throat and hid her body in a crawl space.

Jessie Aaron Blevins of Huntington was arrested and arraigned late Tuesday. He was incarcerated at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday in the Western Regional Jail.

The victim was identified as Elizabeth Grace Cotton, 23, of Huntington, according to a criminal complaint filed in Cabell County Magistrate Court and a press release issued by Huntington Police Capt. Rick Eplin.

The complaint charges that Blevins stabbed Cotton in the throat and then place her body into the crawl space. The crime scene was located at 728 Jackson Ave.

The complaint says investigators filed the first-degree murder charge based upon Blevins’ confession, a statement from a cooperating witness and corroborating evidence collected at the scene.

Police tape and strobing cruiser lights surrounded the home Tuesday night at 728 Jackson Ave. Investigators were called to the scene to check the welfare of a resident. They found a deceased woman and her suspicious death quickly became the city’s second homicide investigation for this year.

Eplin said investigators developed information a crime had taken place. Interviews will continue as police determine a possible motive.

An autopsy will be performed at the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Kanawha County.

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