CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A man beaten into an unconscious state last month passed away on the same day as two of the three suspects in the case appeared in court.
Dustin Baldwin, 29, died while in Hospice and comfort care at Ruby Memorial Hospital Tuesday afternoon, according to Lt. Pat McCarty with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.
Earlier in the day, Terrance Hilliard, 21, appeared first in Magistrate Court when a motion to waive his preliminary hearing was made on his behalf.
Magistrate Frank DeMarco had to issue a warning to Hilliard about his behavior before the proceedings due to his acting tempestuously toward a reporter from The Exponent Telegram who was using his camera inside and outside of the courtroom.
As he was being taken out of the courtroom, he could be heard calling an officer as a “(expletive) pig” and making statements such as “I told you she didn’t do anything,” a reference to alleged promises to drop the charges against the third suspect.
However, the charges remain against Kelsi Riddle, 19, who appeared before Magistrate Tammy Marple after the proceedings with Hilliard.
The defense attempted to make their case that there was no probable cause, which led the state to call the Commander of the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Investigation Division to testify.
Lt. McCarty detailed the events of August 19 that eventually led to Baldwin being found on his grandmother’s porch in Clarksburg unconscious, according to their investigation.
Baldwin and a friend had just returned from a drive to Taco Bell at approximately 2:30 a.m., when they went for a walk along Nicholas Street.
A blue Chevy Equinox that Riddle was allegedly driving with Terrence Hilliard and Zachary Hilliard, 21, of Clarksburg –Riddle’s boyfriend– as passengers drove by and yelled out the window at the two men.
Baldwin and his friend attempted to avoid confrontation by getting off the road and then latter went their separate ways.
The three individuals in the Equinox began driving around in search of the two but could not find them until they returned to the Hilliards mother’s house, which was close to the home of Baldwin’s grandmother.
Zachary was the first to spot Baldwin and took off after him. Terrance caught up once Baldwin had reached the porch and stuck him in the head twice and Baldwin went down, according to testimony from Terrance.
He then said Zachary kicked him at least once, but wasn’t sure because he had turned around at that point.
Riddle was making her way to the porch when she heard the sound of Baldwin’s body dropping and returned to the vehicle because she was scared, according to her testimony.
Investigators allege the Hilliards also stole Baldwin’s phone and car keys as they have been unable to located them.
Phone records are being acquired because the man who was earlier with Baldwin said he called to check on him at around 3 a.m., only to have two male voices answer the phone and disconnect. Another call was allegedly made by another individual with the same result.
After Baldwin was knocked out, Zachary then drove the three from the scene.
Baldwin’s body was not found until approximately 7:30 a.m. when his grandmother –who said she heard something at around 3 a.m., but couldn’t see the body against the door out of her window– went on the porch.
He was sent to United Hospital Center and then transferred to Ruby Memorial Hospital, where he would eventually die.
Police were able to track down the three after witness statements identified the vehicle and video surveillance taken from a Rich Oil Station, Stealey Assembly of God and the GoMart on Chestnut Street placed them within the timeline of events as reported by testimony.
The initial investigation was also assisted by the Hilliard’s mother, who called in to authorities after the men came in with blood on their shirts and allegedly admitted to the crime and the fact the three were involved in a separate altercation earlier in the night, chasing a man into his Northview home while threatening to assault him.
The three were arrested August 26.
The court on Tuesday ruled the state had shown there was probable cause for the case against Riddle to continue on to circuit court.
With her motion to have bond reduced denied, all three defendants remained jailed at North Central Regional Jail with bond set at $150,000.
The criminal complaint charged the group with first degree robbery, malicious wounding and conspiracy. However, the arrest warrant lists the charges as all second degree offenses.
Assistant Prosecutor Traci Cook said they are operating under the arrest warrant, but the charges could change in circuit court.
The fate of Baldwin will play a factor into the charges as well.