Former Charleston shoe salesman Charlie March is going to prison for the rest of his life for murdering and dismembering his co-worker Kathy Goble.
March, 61, received the maximum time from Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom during Thursday’s sentencing hearing.
March entered a Kennedy Plea last December to the April 2010 murder. He was arrested two years to the day that Goble was last seen. Her body parts were found buried in his yard in eastern Kanawha County. The two worked together Kelley’s Mens Shop in Charleston.
After viewing the photos Thursday, Judge Bloom told March “your monstrous acts are the definition of evil.”
“He came to work every day for two years and walked by a picture of her and spoke to me on several occasions why I was in the store. There was no remorse or regret, at least not at the time.” — Billy Herrald, spokesman for the victim’s family
March, now much thinner and clean shaven, read from a prepared statement saying he was sorry for what happened.
“I live with the guilt every day and will live with that guilt as long as I live,” March said. “It never goes away. It’s on my mind every day and in my dreams every night.
“I know what I did resulted in her death and while that wasn’t my intent, at this point what I intended doesn’t matter. The result is all that matters and what I did killed her.”
March broke into tears and said his family never needs to see him again.
Goble family spokesman Billy Herrald said the victim’s family was satisfied with the sentencing.
“He will not see the light of day outside of prison for the rest of his life,” said Herrald, emphasizing how March lived a lie during the two years after Goble’s disappearance.
“He came to work every day for two years and walked by a picture of her and spoke to me on several occasions why I was in the store,” Herrald said. “There was no remorse or regret, at least not at the time.”
Kanawha County Prosecutor Mark Plants said he feels justice was done.
“I’m just happy for the victim’s family. Hopefully now they can put this behind them,” he said.
Calling March “a monster,” Assistant Kanawha County Prosecutor Fred Giggenbach argued for life in prison with no mercy. March’s attorney urged Judge Bloom to grant his client mercy — making him eligible for parole in 15 years — on the grounds March could be rehabilitated.
Prosecutors presented expert testimony detailing how Goble was killed and her body systematically dismembered. March used two saws but only one was found.