A man from West Virginia has come forward and confessed to the murder of a 13-year-old boy that took place decades ago in 1985. The reason for the horrific crime? A ridiculous dispute over a bicycle. What a horrible reason to end the life of another human being. At least now the boy’s parents will get some closure and hopefully justice for the murder of their son.
“Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Watkins was 13 years old when he went missing in the fall of 1985, and was found just a few days later in a shallow hole near some train tracks, The Dominion Post reported. An autopsy revealed that Jerry had suffered a brain bleed, apparently from a blow to the head, but he had ultimately died from a stab wound to his back,” the Daily Wire reported.
Local law enforcement authorities have been wondering for almost four decades what happened to this young man. Now they finally have the answer.
The Daily Wire said, “In 1985, police had a person of interest, then 18-year-old David Adams. At the time, Adams even confessed to the crime, Preston County Prosecutor James Shay said, according to Metro News.”
“He actually, according to the police report gave a confession back in 1985, he later recanted that confession and ultimately was concluded not to be a suspect back then,” Shay stated.
Earlier this month the Preston County Sheriff’s Office decided to reopen the case and started going back over case records. Investigators conducting the review noticed there were some inconsistencies in Adams’ statements at that time, so they worked to locate him and talk to him again.
“I was just taking another run at a case that been cold for many years just to see what he could come up with. So it was assigned to him and he did a lot of good work on it,” Shay explained, making a reference to Preston County Sheriff’s Office Captain T.N. Tichnell investigating the case again.
“Adams, now 56, admitted to police that he hit Watkins in the face back in 1985 and took him to his shed to stab the young teen. Adams said that he and Watkins had argued over a stolen bicycle at the home in Terra Alta, West Virginia, where Adams lived at the time. Adams then admitted that he ‘dragged Jeremiah’s body and placed it in the shallow hole,’” according to the story published by the Post.
Adams is now being charged with second-degree murder.
“These are the initial charges, they are subject to change,” Shay stated, elaborating on the charges. “Up to the point that this individual might be indicted by the grand jury.”
The Post revealed that Sheriff Paul “Moe” Pritt would not provide further details about the case, but did say that they are anticipating Adams receiving additional charges as the investigation into the crime continues. At this point, let’s hope the man receives the maximum penalty allowable by the law.
As of this writing, Adams is in custody at the North Central Regional Jail on a $1 million bond.
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