WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — One of the three men charged in connection with the May murder of former coal executive Ben Hatfield waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday in Mingo County Magistrate Court.
A murder charge will now be forwarded to the Mingo County grand jury to consider in the Brandon Fitzpatrick case.
Fitzpatrick, 18, of Louisa, Ky., was allegedly with Anthony Arriaga, 20, of Delphos, Oh., when Arraiga shot Hatfield while he was visiting the grave sites of family members at Mountain View Memory Gardens Cemetery near Williamson. The alleged motive was robbery.
Arriaga, the alleged triggerman, is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
A third man, Ricky Peterson, 20, of Wayne, allegedly helped Arriaga after the shooting and allegedly lied to investigators about it.