News
Triple Family Murder Shocks Small WV Town
By: WOUB Contributing Writer
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A family murder has rocked a small community in the north central part of West Virginia.
Investigators are remaining tight-lipped after a mother, father and daughter were shot and killed in Doddridge County. The son is now in custody facing triple murder charges.
The shootings happened about 6 p.m. Monday, about 2 miles outside the town of West Union. They took place at a home just off W.Va. Route 18.
As the word spread, neighbors in the small community of just 800 people could not believe what had happened.
“It happens to different people," resident Barry Carpenter said. "You just don't know when it's going to happen. It's something you see in other places and think it would never happen here, but it did.”
School officials confirm that Dixie Spencer is the mother who was killed. She was a science teacher at neighboring Ritchie County Middle School.
Both Ritchie and Doddridge County schools had relief counselors helping students on Tuesday.
Sources close to the victims say Dixie Spencer's husband and middle school-age daughter were the other two shot and killed.
And we’re told the son in custody is a junior at Doddridge County High School.
There's no word yet on any motive.
The Spencer’s son is expected to be charged with three counts of first-degree murder.