Staats Mills, WV: Murder-suicide rocks Jackson

January 20, 2011 - By JESS MANCINI, jmancini@newsandsentinel.com

RIPLEY - Investigators believe a Jackson County man shot his wife then killed himself early Wednesday morning.

Jackie Westfall, 45, and his wife, Ruth Jeanette Westfall, 34, of Staats Mills, were found in the bed of a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche at the Alpin Cemetery on White Pine Road in the Kenna-Staats Mills area about 3:30 a.m., said Chief Deputy Tony Boggs of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.

"He called more than one of his family members to tell them that he had killed her and he was going to shoot himself," Boggs said.

Nothing indicates there was a problem or an argument, he said. The Westfalls were last seen around 11 p.m. and everything appeared OK, he said.

At about 3:10 a.m., Jackson County 911 received a call from family that Westfall shot his wife and was going to kill himself, too, Bogg said. Deputies started searching for the vehicle, but family found the couple at the cemetery, he said.

Deputies recovered the . 45-caliber revolver, Boggs said.

Mrs. Westfall was apparently shot while outside the vehicle at the scene and was placed in the bed of the truck by her husband, Boggs said. Westfall was also in the bed of the truck, he said.

The bodies have been sent to the medical examiner, Boggs said. The investigation remains open and is being treated as a murder-suicide, he said.