Breaking news: Three suspects arrested in Gonzalez shooting
07.22.11 - 08:30 pm
UNDATED — Details surrounding the recent shooting death of Rene A. Gonzalez of Gallipolis Ferry emerged throughout the day on Friday as officers made three arrests in a case described by investigators with the Mason County Detachment of the West Virginia State Police as a “murder for hire.”
In the early morning hours on Friday, deputies with the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office arrested Steven L. Adkins, Jr., 25, Gallipolis, at a residence in the town of Eureka, Clay Township, Gallia County.
Adkins, who was described by officials as the alleged “shooter” was brought in for questioning by detectives and is currently being held in the Gallia County Jail without bond.
Chad W. McCallister, 29, Apple Grove, and Matthew C. Woods, 24, Gallipolis Ferry, were later arrested on Friday following further investigation by the Mason County Detachment. McCallister and Woods are currently being held in the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville. All three suspects are being charged with first degree murder.
Gonzalez’s body was found at approximately 3:10 a.m. on July 11 near the front of his residence located on Huntington Road in Gallipolis Ferry. The victim died of multiple gun shot wounds.
According to Detachment Commander Sgt. E. B. Starcher, McCallister allegedly hired Woods and Adkins to beat and rob the victim — a beating that turned into homicide.
“The more we worked the case, the more information we received. ... and that lead us to the conclusion that Chad McCallister had a beef with the victim due to a [previous] altercation. ... Chad got Woods and Adkins to go rob and beat the subject up, and that, in turn, lead to a homicide,” Starcher said.
The Mason County Detachment took the lead on the case Tuesday, and during a press conference on Wednesday, the state police asked for assistance from the public in identifying a “vehicle of interest” that would help them gather further information about the case — information that later aided in the apprehension of the three suspects. According to Starcher, investigators are no longer seeking information regarding this vehicle.
Officials have not released further details on a motive surrounding the murder, and, although lead investigator Cpl. B. L. Keefer described Gonzalez as a person involved in the “drug world” during Wednesday’s press conference, he emphasized that the victim’s criminal history could in no way justify recent events.
“What Mr. Gonzalez did up to this point is what he did,” Keefer said Wednesday. “No one deserved to die the way that Mr. Gonzalez died. Regardless of his vocation, regardless of his history, no one deserved to be murdered.”
After days of intense investigation, Starcher praised the dedication of Keefer and state police investigators, as well as other local law enforcement officials who aided in this case.
“They grabbed this case and they worked hard on it. They worked straight through, and a lot of thanks goes out to the Gallia County Sheriff’s Department,” Starcher said. “The Gallia County Sheriff’s Department was impeccable. They were very crucial to solving this case, as well as the Point Pleasant Police Department and the Mason County Sheriff’s Department. ... All agencies were working together, and we ended up having a good outcome thus far.”
© mydailyregister.com 2011
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