BUCKHANNON, W. Va. — An Upshur County man accused of murder has been found guilty.
Jessie Lee Heater was determined to be guilty of murdering Joshua Oberg on each of the four counts, which includes first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, concealment of a deceased human body, and conspiracy of concealment of a deceased human body and did not recommend mercy in the first degree murder conviction.
After hours of deliberations on Wednesday, the jury announced the verdict, along with no recommendation of mercy in the murder charge.
In 2012, Heater shot and killed Joshua Oberg in Upshur County, then hid the body off of Bull Run Road. Oberg was missing for roughly six months before police found his body.
The night of the alleged incident Oberg, Heater, and Robert Siron were all together, drinking and smoking in an open field in Upshur County.
According to Siron’s testimony, Rodolfo Villagomez Correa paid Heater $5,000 dollars to kill Oberg because he was having an affair with Correa’s wife.
Siron stepped away for a minute and heard the murder occur. Siron attempted to run away but Heater chased him down, subdued him and threatened to shoot him if he did not help dispose of the body.
Siron was given $500 dollars to not say anything.
The morning after, they disposed of the bloody clothes and Heater threw two lighters and a bloody knife in the West Fork River. The lead investigator testified, saying those pieces were recovered after an extensive search from the FBI Dive Team in January 2014.
Monday in court, Siron was shown the gun. He identified the gun as Heater’s due to correctly identifying a crack on the gun made when Heater hit Siron with it.
Siron is serving 15 years for his involvement with the case.
Heater’s sentencing is tentatively scheduled for August 14, pending a pre-sentence investigation. He faces life in prison.