Gary, WV Area Cold Cases

Name

Brandon Billings

Age

18

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On october 6, 2002 the grayson county sheriffs office was contacted by local residents about a vehicle found off of rock house lane in the old town section of the county. The 1986 ford ranger appeared to have been wrecked and the driver still with the truck. When deputies arrived and more closely investigated the scene it was discovered that brandon kyle billings, age 18 of carsonville road, fries, had died of an apparent gunshot wound. Investigators were called to the scene and a detailed search of the area was conducted. Brandon was last seen leaving a local convenience store in the city of galax at approximately 4:00 am on october 6, 2002.

Agency

Virginia State Police

Name

Tammy Salyer

Age

18

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On february 27, 1990 eighteen-year-old tammy eleene salyer left her place of employment in bristol tennessee at approximately 11:50pm driving her red 1988 chevrolet sprint. She drove six miles and entered interstate 81 northbound at the 381 interchange in bristol virginia. Approximately two tenths of a mile from her normal exit at the seven-mile marker, her vehicle left the northbound lanes, crossed the median, the southbound lanes and side-swiped a highway marker post and tree before coming to a stop against the southbound barrier fence. At 12:15am (2/28/90) bristol virginia police received a call of a possible accident at this location. Officers responded and found the vehicle stopped at the fence with the engine still running. Ms. Salyer was found seated in the drivers seat laying over on the passenger seat. Officers found that ms. Salyers had been shot one time in the head. Ms. Salyer was pronounced deceased at the local hospital.

Agency

Virginia State Police

Name

Cody Matney

Age

25

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Matney was last seen in bristol, tennessee on april 28, 2002. He was outside confetti's sports bar in the 3200 block of west state street. The establishment is off of exit 74-b along interstate 81. Witnesses told authorities that matney made a call from the bar's pay phone, then sat inside his 1991 ford ranger truck in the parking lot, talking to an unidentified person in another truck. He has never been heard from again. Matney's truck was discovered abandoned in the bar's parking lot five days after his disappearance. His checkbook was sitting on the dash, but there was no other evidence at the scene. There has not been any activity on matney's bank account since april 2002. He is known to have made eight telephone calls on his calling card around the time of his disappearance, but most of the numbers he called have been lost. Authorities believe that matney may have departed from the bar with an acquaintance and may have been taken to buchanan county, virginia. His disappearance remains unsolved. Namus # mp155

Agency

Virginia State Police

Name

Barbara Hagy

Age

48

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On april 16, 1989 the body of barbara jean hagy was discovered lying in the road at the entrance to a sand quarry, in the pugh mountain area of smyth county, virginia. The victim was found to be laying on her back, with sand packed over the head and neck areas. The body was nude. The cause of death was asphyxia due to blunt injuries to the head, face and neck. Michael mcgay reeves of smyth county was the main suspect on this case, plus he was suspected in other rape/murder and assault cases in smyth and grayson counties. Reeves has been on death row in north carolina for other murders, since 1994. Vicap # 1993va00017

Agency

Virginia State Police

Name

Samuel Riser

Age

61

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

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 didn’t 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 riser’s 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. Riser’s 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 “cold case” missing people, mainly from the united states. Project cold case is featuring mr. Riser’s 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 sheriff’s office at (304) 357-0156.

Agency

Kanawha County Sheriff's Office

Name

Cleo Burdette

Age

78

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

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 Metheny

Age

21

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

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 Riser

Age

60

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

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

Zachary Avina

Age

49

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Agency

Pike County Sheriff's Office