ELKINS, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The victim of multiple gunshot wounds was pronounced dead on Monday following an incident in Randolph County.
According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, March 27, 2023, at about 5:04pm, Randolph 911 received a call from a woman regarding an individual who had shot her dog. The Randolph County Humane Officer and deputies were dispatched to 193 Buckskin Drive on Chenoweth Creek in Elkins, WV.
Deputies were redirected to 5185 Chenoweth Creek Road regarding shots fired and reports of a male subject who had been shot. The caller stated that Johnathan Chenoweth had been shot by Steven Cross on his side-by-side and that Cross had run inside his residence.
Deputies A.B. Beverly, L.R. Elbon, and B.M. Roy arrived at the scene and confirmed a male down and unresponsive. At this point a perimeter was set up and deputies awaited the arrival of further law enforcement.
The Mountain Region ST began to make their way to the scene upon being alerted to a possible barricaded suspect. Additional law enforcement then arrived at the scene.
Lt. B.A. Talkington began to utilize his car PA system to order the suspect out of the house, and after several attempts was successful in bringing the suspect and his wife out of the house. The two were then secured by authorities without incident, and the house itself was cleared and secured.
Authorities on the scene checked the victim for a pulse and it was confirmed that he was indeed deceased. The suspect, Steven Cross was taken into custody. The West Virginia State Police Crime Scene Team was then requested to secure all evidence and process the scene.
Upon further investigation it was revealed that seven total shots had been fired and that five had struck the victim. A criminal complaint was prepared for the charging of Steven Ray Cross with 2nd Degree Murder and was filed with Randolph County Magistrate Court.
The case remains under investigation by the Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force as well as the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance was provided in the case by the Elkins Police Department, West Virginia State Police, Randolph County Humane Officer, and Randolph County EMS.
Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon implores those with information regarding the case to contact 911.
