Murders in Mingo County

[Ridge Runner]

What do you remember as having been some of the more infamous murders in Mingo County? I recall one from about 50 years ago in which a young Mother was murdered in her home in Fairview, I believe. Her infant was also in the house but was unharmed. The murderer was a young Marine on leave and I think he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Is he still imprisoned?

[me too]

but I'm not 50 and remember this happened when I was a child. I also remember the girl and that she was very beautiful but forgot her name. Can someone remember their names.

[West Virginia Hillbilly]

What about the murder of the Chambers woman also in Fairview she was stabbed to death also. Mrs Chambers father in law was the sherif in Mingo county for a long time. Her killer served a long time in prison and became a preacher upon being released.

[Slang Blade]

me too wrote:

but I'm not 50 and remember this happened when I was a child. I also remember the girl and that she was very beautiful but forgot her name. Can someone remember their names.

I cant rember his name but i know what you are talking about.He claimed in court that they were running a lawn moore while he was trying to watch a ballgame.Didnt know the girl but saw her picture in the paper.That would have been about 1963,you might go to the libary an find the paper.

[Slang Blade]

I can now think of his name,It was david whittaker.

[meeeeeee]

Slang Blade wrote:

<quoted text>I cant rember his name but i know what you are talking about.He claimed in court that they were running a lawn moore while he was trying to watch a ballgame.Didnt know the girl but saw her picture in the paper.That would have been about 1963,you might go to the libary an find the paper.

No he was doing the lawn mowing and she told him to quit that her child was sleeping.

[Slang Blade]

meeeeeee wrote:

<quoted text>No he was doing the lawn mowing and she told him to quit that her child was sleeping.

Yes you might be right there.After all it has been a long time,an i dont want to tell my age.lol

[Ridge Runner]

meeeeeee wrote:

<quoted text>No he was doing the lawn mowing and she told him to quit that her child was sleeping.

You're right. That's what I remember now that you've mentioned it. I thought he was in prison for life. He must have been paroled or perhaps it wasn't a life sentence.

[Ridge Runner]

Are there any other murder cases that were unique or unusual?

[mindyourbusiness]

the howell family did not bother no body in williamson and we left there after all that happen so don't be talking about my family. we gone and we dont bother no body there so talk about your own family instead of mine.

[Anonymous]

Ridge Runner wrote:

<quoted text>
You're right. That's what I remember now that you've mentioned it. I thought he was in prison for life. He must have been paroled or perhaps it wasn't a life sentence.

My dad was the police officer who solved the crime. He noticed scratches on the neck of a carnival worker, who was David or Bubby Whitaker. Can't remember which one. Dad found the weapons under his mothers house up from the Episcopal Church. The victim's mother-in-law was the sheriff. She was stabbed multiple times with a steak knife until it bent and then he continued with a butcher knife. It started over her yelling at him for running the lawn mower while her children were napping. The children were not harmed...

[Incorrect Comments]

Intelligent Citizen wrote:

<quoted text>
My dad was the police officer who solved the crime. He noticed scratches on the neck of a carnival worker, who was David or Bubby Whitaker. Can't remember which one. Dad found the weapons under his mothers house up from the Episcopal Church. The victim's mother-in-law was the sheriff. She was stabbed multiple times with a steak knife until it bent and then he continued with a butcher knife. It started over her yelling at him for running the lawn mower while her children were napping. The children were not harmed...

Some of your comments are incorrect. David Whitaker was a Marine on leave at the time the young woman was murdered. Her MIL was not the sheriff and an infant who was unharmed was at home at the time she was slain.

[wvsky]

Incorrect Comments wrote:

<quoted text>
Some of your comments are incorrect. David Whitaker was a Marine on leave at the time the young woman was murdered. Her MIL was not the sheriff and an infant who was unharmed was at home at the time she was slain.

Mother-in-law - Virginia Chambers, first female sheriff in the country. Her son (the victim's husband) was a teacher at WHS.

[GTL]

The Miki Koontz case came to my mind first.

[Perhaps Not At The Time]

wvsky wrote:

<quoted text> Mother-in-law - Virginia Chambers, first female sheriff in the country. Her son (the victim's husband) was a teacher at WHS.

You're right about the victim's husband, but I don't remember that Ms. Chambers was the Sheriff at the time of her DIL's murder and couldn't find anything online to confirm it one way or another.

[Anonymous]

Incorrect Comments wrote:

<quoted text>
Some of your comments are incorrect. David Whitaker was a Marine on leave at the time the young woman was murdered. Her MIL was not the sheriff and an infant who was unharmed was at home at the time she was slain.

Let me clarify, it was the victim's mother in law, Ms. Chambers, who was Sheriff at the time. Not that the victim was the sheriff. I still have the newspaper article.

[darla]

Does anyone remember Peggy Adair(Hatfield)...I wonder where her family is now...she had two small boys...one is deceased(I think)...She lived in Delbarton, W.Va...so pretty, nice, and just wonderful...killed up Pigeon or Varney...I never did forget her beautiful smile and a really sweet personality...we loved her dearly...her grandmother, Mrs. Adair, I think "raised" her...

[high-flyin]

I remember the Blair Girl they found on taylorville Mt.that was pretty sad.Never was solved if I remember correctly

[Pike Murder]

I remember about 40 years a woman named Joyce that was "accidentally" shot in the head by her husband,He was a teacher and was messing around with one of his young students, his wife was shot at the girl/students home at narrows branch

[independent]

wasn't there a killing something about santa something tieing someone to a tree and killing them.think there was 2 murders on this case.late 70s early 80.i think about 77-80 maybe