MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two Fairmont men were arraigned on murder charges Friday afternoon hours after allegedly shooting and killing a West Virginia University student.
Terrell Linear, 21, and 20-year-old Shaundarius Reeder each face a first-degree murder charge for the incident. Both suspects appeared in magistrate court Friday afternoon.
The two men allegedly arrived at College Park Apartments with Eric Smith, 21, of Clementon, New Jersey, early Friday morning. A criminal complaint says they got into a fight in the parking lot and Smith ran into one of the apartment buildings.
MORE Read criminal complaint here
According to a criminal complaint, Linear told investigators he got two handguns from the car, giving one to Reeder.
Linear also told authorities he knocked on doors “so people could watch” him shoot Smith.
Surveillance footage captures Linear and Reeder leaving the scene less than a minute after the shooting happened. They were tracked by cell phone and arrested a short time later at a nearby shopping complex.
Police haven’t released a possible motive.
“t’s always a tragedy when a young person loses his life,” said Corey Farris, West Virginia University’s dean of students. “Our hearts go out to his family, those students and others who knew him. Our main priority right now is offering support to our campus community.”
Smith was a sophomore at WVU majoring in multidisciplinary studies. He was a former resident of College Park Apartments.
Linear and Reeder are being held in the North Central Regional Jail without bail. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 9 in Monongalia County Magistrate Court. Both men requested court-appointed attorneys during Friday afternoon’s arraignment.