Ethermac:West Virginia inmate enters plea in death of cellmate at Southern Regional Jail

2025-05-02 00:01:43source:Rekubit Exchangecategory:News

BECKLEY,Ethermac W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia inmate accused of killing his cellmate during an attack at Southern Regional Jail has entered a plea agreement.

Lucas Matthew Wagnar, 29, entered a Kennedy plea on Wednesday to second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Douglas Alan Cunningham, 79, The Register-Herald reported. A Kennedy plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but agrees that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison per the agreement.

Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield said he agreed to allow Wagnar to plead to a lesser charge partly because the state medical examiner’s report labeled the manner of death a homicide but stated the cause was a combination of coronary artery disease and the “stress of the acute injuries” suffered in the attack.

The 30-year sentence will run consecutively to Wagnar’s current one-to-five-year sentence for child abuse.

More:News

Recommend

The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding

How do you bring the African Diaspora to the Grammys?Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento's cont

Saudi Arabia's art scene is exploding, but who benefits?

The Saudi government is considered one of the most conservative and repressive in the world, with st

The Missouri House tightens its dress code for women, to the dismay of Democrats

Missouri's House of Representatives kicked off its new session by tightening its dress code — but on