Beckley, WV: Police: Two elderly victims die from gunshot wounds

By Amelia A. Pridemore
Register-Herald Reporter
December 14, 2009 10:16 pm

— Two elderly people died from gunshot wounds Monday morning, and Beckley Police say their deaths were possibly a murder/suicide.
The shooting in the 100 block of Tolley Drive was reported around 10:30 a.m. Monday, said Capt. Jeff Shumate, chief of detectives. The victims were a man and a woman. One was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was taken to a local hospital, where he/she was pronounced dead on arrival. Their names are being withheld because of pending family notifications.
One person contacted a neighbor, Shumate said. The neighbor then called for emergency medical service workers, who then contacted police.
The victims have no known domestic violence history, Shumate said.
Police believe both victims resided in the same house, and they were family members, Shumate said. Police are interviewing neighbors and other family members as they investigate the motive. One possible motive involves one victim’s medical condition.
Shumate said police believe they know who the shooter was, but he emphasized the investigation is ongoing.