Jaynell Graham
Editor
An incident Monday evening, February 12, in the parking lot of the Little General convenience store in Marlinton led to the apprehension and arrest of 23 year old Mason Slava Walker, of Hillsboro. Walker has been charged with first degree murder.
According to the criminal complaint, filed in Magistrate Cynthia Broce-Kelley’s court Tuesday morning, dispatch received two 911 calls around 9:30 p.m., each reporting a shooting at Little General. The callers also advised that a female had been shot and the male shooter had left the area, traveling north on Route 219.
Sgt. M. M. Massie, of the West Virginia State Police-Marlinton Detachment, responded.
Sgt. Massie arrived on the scene as EMS personnel removed the female from a vehicle.
A witness at the scene identified his son, Mason Walker, as the shooter.
Walker and the victim, identified as Camie Rider, lived in the same household and had a two year old child together.
Information about the suspect and the description of his vehicle were relayed to 911, and responding law enforcement was advised that the child might be in the vehicle.
However, Corporal D. M. Brock and Trooper J. A. Peteete located the unattended child at the couple’s shared residence.
Troopers with the West Virginia State Police – Elkins Detachment located the vehicle, executed a traffic stop in Valley Head and found a Cobra Arms, model CLB38, that contained two fired cartridges, inside.
Sgt. Massie spoke with eight other witnesses who saw or heard the shooting take place. He also secured footage from the Town of Marlinton’s camera at the intersection of Rts. 219 and 39.
According to Sgt. Massie, the video showed Mason Walker pull into the parking lot, into the space next to the vehicle occupied by Camie Rider. The video also showed Walker pointing his arm toward the driver’s side front window, and the muzzle flash. After a short pause, Walker pointed his arm toward the window again and another muzzle flash was observed.
Camie Rider was transported to Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11:22 p.m.
Mason Walker is being held without bond in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail.
The matter remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Police.
This is an incident where the death penalty would come in handy.