Cross Lanes, WV Area Cold Cases
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Name
Ronald PohlAge
90Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
On 05/09/1992, ronald pohl and his son went turkey hunting in the western part of meigs county. After entering the woods, they separated and went to different areas to hunt. Between approximately 10:00am and 10:30am, a gunshot was heard in the woods followed by three to four more shots about fifteen minutes later. Mr. Pohl failed to come out of the woods at noon. After a short time, pohl's son and another hunter, who was not hunting that morning, searched for pohl but were unable to locate him. Authorities were contacted and a search with deputies, ohio division of wildlife officers, and fire department personnel began for pohl. After two hours, pohl's body was discovered having been shot with buckshot in the back.Agency
Ohio AG
Name
Mickey OilerAge
67Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
The body of a man was found in the vicinity of liberty lane, pomeroy, oh. The man was later identified as mickey oiler.Agency
Ohio AG
Name
Samuel RiserAge
61Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Cold case spotlight samuel riser had just paid his december rent and mailed out a letter; then he disappeared. The 61-year-old glasgow, west virginia man has not been seen or heard from since december 8, 2010. Blood was discovered in his home during a welfare check after mr. Riser didnât show up for work. Police responded to the scene and, while remaining tight-lipped about the investigation, acknowledge that foul play is suspected in samuel riserâs disappearance. Investigators have said publicly that they have received a lot of tips, but keep hitting dead ends. They have asked that anyone with information reach out to them in this unsolved case. Mr. Riser, known by some as sam or dickie, was a hard-working, loving father. His children have kept fighting to find their dad, all along knowing the likely outcome. Mr. Riserâs information has been uploaded to namus, a database that provides an opportunity for families, law enforcement agencies and investigators to search nationwide for missing persons using a variety of powerful search features. His case was also featured on the charley project, a website that profiles approximately 9,500 âcold caseâ missing people, mainly from the united states. Project cold case is featuring mr. Riserâs case in conjunction with the week of the 6th anniversary of his disappearance and asking, on behalf of his family, that you share his case on social media in hopes that someone will come forward with answers. If you have any information about the disappearance of samuel riser, no matter how small you think it is, please call the kanawha county sheriffâs office at (304) 357-0156.Agency
Kanawha County Sheriff's Office
Name
Cleo BurdetteAge
78Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Cold case spotlight on august 13, 2004, cleo burdette was beaten to death in his on home. The victim's sister found him the next morning after he didn't answer her phone call. Investigators found broken windows, a cut phone line and a ransacked home and believe robbery may have been the motive. Mr. Burdette was a cattle farmer and had sold a number of cattle at auction the day he was killed. Several witnesses reported seeing a red or orange toyota truck near mr. Burdette's residence. There is a $10,000 reward being offered by the family in this case. If you have any information about the 2004 unsolved murder of cleo burdette you are asked to please contact the kanawha county sheriff's office at (304)357-0169.Agency
Kanawha County Sheriff's Office
Name
Melanie MethenyAge
21Cause of Death
MissingInfo
On the morning of wednesday july 19, 2006, melanie metheny left her residence in campbells creek with two of her children and the child of her current boyfriend. It is believed that she dropped off the boyfriend’s child between 7:30 and 8:00 am at the home of the child’s paternal grandmother in the dry branch area of campbell’s creek and then continued to the country kids daycare located in the 3000 block of east dupont ave belle. There she dropped off her two children between 7:50am and 8:00 am. Friends, family, and daycare workers said melanie told them she was going to garnett career college in charleston that day to pick up her transcripts and deliver them to west virginia state college where she intended to start classes. Melanie never returned to pick up her children from the daycare. According to melanie’s cell phone records, she placed two calls between 9:00 am and 9:30am that morning, one of which to her voice mail, and both calls had been placed from the western kanawha and eastern putnam co. Areas. A check was done at west virginia state college and garnett and no contact was made with melanie that day. Melanie’s van, 1998 gold chevrolet venture van, was located 4 days later on july 23, 2006, parked on the street in the residential area of wyoming street and beuhring ave on the west side of charleston. One witness in the area said that the van had been parked there since around the afternoon of wednesday july 19, 2006. Melanie metheny was 21 years old when she was reported as missing. She has long strawberry blond hair, brown eyes, 5’3”, and approximately 100lbs. She didn’t have any tattoos but has a scar on her lower right leg/ankle and a plate and two screws that she received from a car accident. Melanie metheny is the mother of 3 children. Their ages at the time of her disappearance were 1, 3, and 5 years. Since the time she was reported missing the kanawha county sheriff’s office has expended numerous man hours while conducting this missing person case. We have received hundreds of tips since her disappearance and conducted follow-up investigations on each tip. We actively follow up on any leads that are brought to our attention. We know that someone in the public has information that could lead us to a closure in this case.Agency
Kanawha County Sheriff
Name
Samuel RiserAge
60Cause of Death
MissingInfo
Samuel “dickie” riser went to work on wednesday, december 8, 2010, and at the end of his shift, returned to his home in glasgow, west virginia. On saturday, december 11, 2010, the family received a call that mr. Riser had not been to work in three days. His family went to his house and found mr. Riser’s vehicle was still parked at the residence. Mr. Riser’s residence was locked, the television was on, but mr. Riser was gone. Based on evidence found at mr. Riser’s residence, foul play is suspected. Mr. Riser was 60 years old at the time of his disappearance, he is 6’1” tall, 205 pounds, and goes by the nickname of “dickie”. Mr. Riser is a white male with gray hair, blue eyes, and wears metal-rimmed eyeglasses.Agency
Kanawha County Sheriff
Name
Joshua StarcherAge
45Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
On february 11, 2011, joshua a. Starcher was found dead in his vehicle on vinegar street in pomeroy, ohio suffering a gunshot wound. Starcher was last seen at approximately 12:30 pm on 02/11/11 when he informed his girlfriend that he was going to meet someone and would be back. Starcher never returned and his body was found by a person driving along vinegar street.Agency
Ohio AG
Name
Thelma MooneyAge
103Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
On sunday, february 18, 2007, family members discovered eighty-five (85) year old thelma mooney dead in her home at 1604 thomas street, ironton, ohio. Ironton police immediately began a murder investigation after it was discovered mooney had died as a result of foul play. Although police identified a suspect at that time, the charges were eventually dismissed without prejudice.Agency
Ohio AG