Mingo County man, 29-year-old Timothy Kennedy, charged with murder following what has been described as an ambush attack on State Troopers. Sgt. Cory Maynard was fatally shot and killed. Troopers were answering a call for another shooting that wounded a civilian.
BEECH CREEK A decorated West Virginia State Trooper was fatally shot and another man wounded in the Beech Creek area of Mingo County last Friday.
State Police arrested 29-year-old Timothy Kennedy, of Matewan, for a charge of first degree murder.
Kennedy is accused of killing Sergeant Cory Maynard while the trooper was responding to a call to Beech Creek Road. State police say Kennedy shot 39-year-old Benjamin Baldwin, of Matewan, with a rifle before police arrived. Baldwin was taken to a Charleston hospital for treatment.
Maynard was transported to Logan Regional Medical Center where he died. Governor Jim Justice confirmed the Sgt. Maynard’s death Friday evening with a statement.
“Cathy and I share our deepest sympathies and our heartfelt prayers to all of Trooper Maynard’s loved ones and the entire law enforcement community of West Virginia for this tragic loss tonight,” the Governor said in a statement.
A seven hours long manhunt followed the shootings. Mingo County advised residents to shelter in place and stay in their homes. The manhunt forced the postponement of the Mingo Central High School graduation until Saturday morning. Kennedy was apprehended around ten o’clock Friday night.
Kennedy was arraigned Saturday morning in Mingo County Magistrate Court. During the arraignment, Magistrate Jim Harvey said Kennedy’s bail will be set in Circuit Court.
(PHOTO | Chapmanville Fire Department)
A police escort transported the Maynard’s body from Logan to the West Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office that evening.
Maynard grew up near Williamson in Belfry, Kentucky. Saturday morning, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear posted a tweet calling Maynard “a hero who sacrificed everything to make our communities safer.”
Sgt. Maynard was honored in 2015 by State Police with the Lifesaving Award. The honor was bestowed to Maynard for saving a man’s life who was the subject of a pursuit in the Eastern Panhandle. (PHOTO | WVSP)
Logan County Magistrate Joe Mendez says the community lost a great police officer.
“He was quick witted and professional,” Mendez told WVOW News. “He was one of the first officer to introduce himself to me when I first became a magistrate in 2016. He was good guy, level headed and funny.”
State Senate President Craig Blair recognized Maynard’s actions in a statement released Saturday.
“As a young officer with our State Police in the Eastern Panhandle, Sgt. Maynard was recognized with a Lifesaving Award for his actions in the line of duty. He continued to exemplify the qualities of compassion, bravery, and service throughout his career. His ultimate sacrifice in his service to his community and to our citizens will not be forgotten,” Blair wrote.
A memorial for Sgt. Maynard will be conducted this Wednesday a Mingo Central High School.