PINEVILLE, W.Va. — Two years after her disappearance a man is indicted in the slaying of Teresa Lynn Ford, 38, of Matoaka. The Wyoming County grand jury returned a murder incitement on Oscar Combs, Sr. Monday for the 2013 slaying.
“She was last seen with Oscar Combs, Senior,” said Wyoming County Prosecutor Michael Cochrane. “Mr. Combs was arrested on some charges in Mercer County for a murder there. A warrant was issued for his property in connection with that investigation and Ms. Ford’s remains were located in the spring of 2014.”
Since then a lot has happened. Investigators sent the skeletal remains, which turned out to be Ford, to the Smithsonian for analysis. Combs and his son, Oscar Combs, Jr. were convicted in the murder of James “Bo” Butler of Summers County in Mercer Court Circuit Court. Both men are serving live in prison for the April 2011 murder. However, Cochrane does not believe the two killings are connected.
“We don’t think it’s related at all,” said Cochrane. “But it’s the second time he’s done this as far as we’re concerned.”
Cochrane added the younger Combs is not a suspect in Ford’s murder so far, but investigators continue to look into the case to see if there is a connection.
Cochrane would not reveal too many of the circumstances surrounding the investigation, but did acknowledge Ford and the elder Combs were aquatinted.
“It’s our understanding she wen there to sell a vehicle and they were aquatinted before that, perhaps romantically,” he said. “Definitely they did know one another and the purpose for her to go to Oscar Combs was to sell a vehicle.”
Combs remains in the state prison and his formal arraignment will be soon in Wyoming County. A trial date is expected to be set for later this year.