BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A family dispute turned deadly late Sunday night when a Raleigh County man was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing his brother inside their home.
On July 6, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., authorities received a 911 call from Norma Adkins, reporting that her son, Ralph Adkins, had shot her other son, Dennis Adkins, in the head at a residence in Beckley.
When law enforcement arrived, officers instructed Norma and Ralph to exit the home. Both complied. According to investigators, Ralph Adkins immediately confessed at the scene, repeatedly stating that he shot his brother and was guilty.
Inside the residence, officers found Dennis Adkins slumped on a couch, unresponsive, with blood visible on his face. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Norma Adkins told officers that her sons had been involved in a physical altercation earlier that day but appeared to have calmed down before the shooting. She said Ralph retrieved a handgun from her bedroom and shot Dennis while he was seated on the couch rolling a cigarette. She was sitting just feet away in a recliner and witnessed the shooting firsthand.
Both men were reportedly intoxicated during the incident.
Investigators recovered a .22 caliber RG Model 14S revolver at the scene, containing two spent and four live cartridges. A gunshot residue test was also administered to the accused.
Ralph Adkins was arrested and transported to the West Virginia State Police Beckley Detachment. After being read his Miranda rights, he gave a full confession during an interview, acknowledging he had shot his brother and admitting he knew he was “going to be in trouble for a very long time.”
He has been charged with First Degree Murder. The case remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Police.
