Charleston, WV: Granddaughter of former state Democratic chief stabbed to death

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Fayette County man is behind bars after allegedly stabbing a woman to death in the Beckley home she shared with three other female students at Mountain State University.

Raleigh Sheriff's deputies found Cyan Elizabeth Maroney, 25, in a Myers Avenue home about 8:40 p.m. Sunday with multiple stab wounds.

She was taken to Beckley Area Regional Hospital, where she died from her injuries, according to a statement from the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department.

Jeremy James Lambert, 30, of Oak Hill, was identified as a suspect based in part on witness statements. Fayette County deputies arrested Lambert in Fayetteville Sunday night after a short pursuit.

Police believe Lambert and Maroney were involved in a romantic relationship.

Maroney, a Renick native and granddaughter of former state Democratic Chairman Pat Maroney of Charleston, was a former instructor and performer with River City Youth Ballet Ensemble.

According to River City's website, Maroney began dancing at age 6 in Lewisburg and was a member of the Trillium Performing Youth and Alderson Dance Ensemble while she was in high school. She received a bachelor's degree in dance from Connecticut College.

She began performing with Theatre West Virginia in 2004 and continued with the group for three summers. She participated in performances of "Honey in the Rock," "Hatfields and McCoys," "Annie," "Wizard of Oz" and "High School Musical."

She also performed with the West Virginia Dance Co.

Michelle Raider, founder and artistic director of River City Youth Ballet, learned of the young woman's death Monday morning.

"The dance world is such a small community so everybody knows everybody," Raider said. "This is just a terrible blow."

Raider said Maroney taught modern dance once a week for two years for River City but was not teaching this year because of the commute from Beckley. She called her a "wonderful instructor."

"She was phenomenal with the students," Raider said. "She was great, a wonderful instructor. She was dependable and reliable and took time with the students, just a wonderful person."

Raider said she first saw Maroney dance with the West Virginia Dance Co. and remarked about her talent. She said Maroney danced in April at the West Virginia Dance Festival.

"She was extremely bright and had such a vibrant personality," Raider said. "She was incredibly talented and the kids were lucky to have her."

Raleigh Sheriff Steve Tanner told the Beckley Register-Herald Monday that Lambert was hired by Beckley police in 2005 but elected to resign on his first day at the West Virginia State Police Academy.

The sheriff said the motive behind the stabbing was unclear Monday, but it appeared the suspect confronted Maroney in the home.

"She tried to get away from him by retreating to her bedroom," Tanner told the paper. "He forced himself into the bedroom, and the witnesses said they could hear an attack."

Tanner said deputies knew Lambert was driving a green 1992 Geo Tracker when he fled the scene and they were able to contact him on his cellphone. Lambert drove around for three hours before pulling over in Fayette County. The sheriff said the man drove through Greenbrier, Nicholas, Raleigh and Fayette counties during that time.

Lambert has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond at Southern Regional Jail.

"This has saddened all of us," W.Va. Democratic Party Chairman Larry Puccio said of the incident. "I'm calling on our Democratic family across the state to say a special prayer for the family."