BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Raleigh County man involved in the death of a fellow inmate at Southern Regional Jail pled guilty on Thursday in Raleigh County Circuit Court.
According to Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney, Ben Hatfield, Wagner was convicted of second-degree murder in Raleigh County Circuit Court on Thursday and was sentenced to 30 years in prison by Judge Andrew Dimlich in relation to the death of Douglas Cunningham.
Wagner is one of two individuals purported to have initiated a series of attacks Douglas Cunningham, a 79-year-old inmate at Southern Regional Jail who is believed to have passed away as a result of these attacks last October of 2022.
Cunningham, who was arrested on a Capias warrant, is confirmed to have been confined to a wheelchair for at least a portion of his time at Southern Regional.
The death of Cunningham while in custody of Southern Regional Jail is but one of many such incidents to have occurred in recent years. These recurring incidents have led to litigation against the facility, and local community members have become increasingly restless in their demands for answers regarding these tragic happenings.