CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County man is jailed today on charges he murdered his wife.
Kanawha County deputies were called to a home in the Big Chimney community around 2 a.m. Saturday where Randall Chapman, 47, of Big Chimney claimed his wife had committed suicide. Deputies say the body of Shirlene Young was in the living room floor. She had been shot and a handgun was found near the body.
According to the criminal complain, Chapman claimed he went to sleep and awoke to find his wife dead in the living room. Chapman claimed the couple was alone when the incident happened and there had been no visitors to the home Friday night. Detectives found no sign of forced entry into the house.
But investigators added an examination of Young’s body determined she had been shot in the back and the bullet was lodged in an exit wound in her chest. The West Virginia Medical Examiner concluded the wound was not consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot and determined her cause of death was homicide.
Chapman was arraigned Saturday morning on a charge of murder. The investigation into the incident continues.