Father And Son Found Shot Dead

"PRINCETON, WV — Mercer County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of shots fired Saturday afternoon at a townhouse outside of Princeton, and discovered an apparent murder-suicide involving a father and son.

"`We believe it was a domestic situation,` Mercer County Sheriff D.B. `Don` Meadows said. `There was nothing that we knew of that would have led to something like this.` He said that the department had no record of being called to that address recently.

"After law enforcement officers and emergency personnel secured the scene, Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ash and a representative of the state medical examiners office, who was in Beckley, arrived at the scene and together, confirmed that it was an apparent murder-suicide.

"Clarence Moore II, 51, and his son, John Paul Moore, 21, both of Princeton, both died of gunshot wounds, according to Meadows. Deputies recovered a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol at the scene.

"`The boy shot himself. There’s no question of that,` Meadows said. `Both bodies will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Charleston.`

"Meadows said that the boy left a note, but he did not divulge its contents."

From the Bluefield Daily Telegraph...