October 5, 2012
3 charged in Beckley fatal shooting
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BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Police in Beckley said three men invaded the home of a 32-year-old man last week and shot him multiple times, killing him.

Two turned themselves in to police and the third was arrested Thursday night while visiting a relative at CAMC Women and Children's Hospital.

At about 10:49 p.m. on Sept. 26, Beckley police responded to a shooting at 100 6th Street in Beckley, according to a criminal complaint filed in Raleigh County Magistrate Court. Officers found Shawn DeWayne Rucker lying in front of the house with multiple gunshot wounds, the complaint said.

Paramedics rushed Rucker to Raleigh General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy showed Rucker had died from nine gunshots fired from multiple directions, according to the complaint.

Officers spoke with several witnesses who heard gunshots and saw three male suspects, wearing dark colored hooded sweatshirts, running from the scene. Three of those witnesses said they saw Alfred "Les" Pittman, Cornealius "Ty" Taylor and Dewayne Lane in the area before and after the shooting, according to the complaint. The men had allegedly been wearing clothing matching the suspects' descriptions.

Detectives interviewed Pittman, 24, and Taylor, 22, separately on Oct. 1. Both men gave conflicting statements about where they were during and after the slaying, according to the complaint.

On Oct. 4, a witness positively identified Lane, 22, from a lineup.

Police issued warrants Thursday morning for the men on first-degree murder charges. Taylor and Pittman were apprehended Thursday night. Taylor turned himself in to Beckley Police and Pittman was arrested while visiting a relative at CAMC Women and Children's Hospital. Lane turned himself in to Bluefield Police on Friday.

Taylor was arraigned in Raleigh County Magistrate Court and ordered held in Southern Regional Jail without bail. Pittman was arraigned in Kanawha County Magistrate Court and ordered held in South Central Regional Jail. He was transferred Friday to Southern Regional Jail. Lane was expected to be arraigned Friday night.

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