West Virginia v. Shafer (Signed Opinion)
Annotate this CaseIn 2014, Shafer, a drug addict, his girlfriend, Hughes, also addicted to drugs, and their friend, Wilson, conspired to rob 66-year-old Lynch, who lived alone with her dog in St. Albans. They had learned that she had been robbed several times, but had not report edthe robberies because she feared repercussions. Shafer took a toy gun and. Wilson took a kitchen knife; neither wore masks or gloves. When Lynch returned home, found them outside her house, and did not take their threats seriously, they became angry. Inside the house, Wilson stabbed Lynch to death. They took property and later returned with Hughes to steal a car. They repeatedly returned to the house, stealing additional property and allowing the dog to starve to death. A friend discovered Lynch’s decaying body. Shafer agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder in the commission of the felony offense; conspiracy; three counts of burglary by breaking and entering; and two counts of grand larceny; the state agreed to recommend that the court sentence Shafer to life with mercy for the felony murder and to stand silent on whether his sentences should run consecutively or concurrently. The PSR revealed that as a juvenile, Shafer was charged with breaking and entering; he had other offenses and a long history of drug use. The court imposed, and the Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed, consecutive sentences, including life in the penitentiary without mercy.
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