MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A Bunker Hill man charged with second degree murder stemming from an October 2017 incident pleaded guilty under Alford circumstances to the felony charge of voluntary manslaughter Thursday in Berkeley County Circuit court.
An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt but acknowledges that the prosecution has enough evidence to obtain a conviction.
Joshua Newill, 30, faced murder charges in connection with the shooting death of Claude Triplett, 46, who was found by authorities with a gunshot wound to the chest on October 6, 2017.
Under the plea, the defendant will serve a 3-year sentence on home confinement for the manslaughter charge.
Newill will also be required to pay restitution for any funeral costs incurred by the victim’s family.
Story by WEPM’s Elias McMillan