BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Bluefield police were on the hunt for a New York native after a homicide early Monday morning.
Nyiheem Whitlow, 19, is wanted for the murder of Lance Terry, 25, of Bluefield.
“They both have a girlfriend in common and the victim is actually the new boyfriend of this girl,” said Bluefield Police Detective Kenneth Adams. “They had an altercation earlier in the day which led to a car chase. The chase ended on Essex Street where the suspect exited his car, walked around and fired multiple shots into the driver side door of the victim’s car, hitting him at least twice.”
Terry tried to back away, but lost consciousness and crashed into a house, police said.
Five witnesses identified Whitlow as the shooter, including the man who was driving the vehicle Whitlow was riding in during the chase.
Whitlow has lived in Bluefield for the past two years, but police think he may be leaving the state.
“He originally came from New York and was homeless and living with any friend who’d let him live with them,” said Adams. “That’s why we suspect since he doesn’t have any family members or ties to Bluefield he’s trying to flee back to New York.”
Police said they questioned the girlfriend who first put them onto Whitlow as the suspect. She said she and Terry had argued previously in the day and he left the house to drive around and cool off. Sometime during that drive he ran into Whitlow and an argument ensued.