RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Raleigh County man is accused of shooting his brother in the abdomen during a domestic dispute Saturday morning.
According to a criminal complaint, West Virginia State Police responded to a shots-fired call around 9 a.m. on October 31, 2026, after receiving reports that Justin Verdulla had shot his brother, Christopher Verdulla.
Police say Christopher fled the residence following the shooting and was found sitting on a porch with an apparent gunshot wound when authorities arrived.
Troopers located Justin at the residence and detained him without incident.
During the investigation, Justin allegedly admitted to shooting his brother in the abdomen with a .22-caliber pistol.
According to the complaint, Justin told investigators that his brother had been repeatedly striking him in the face during an argument. He claimed he retrieved a pistol and fired a single shot to make his brother stop hitting him.
Justin also told police that he kept a loaded pistol underneath his bed and was approximately two feet away from his brother when he fired the weapon.
The investigating trooper reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol while speaking with Justin.
However, Christopher provided a different account of the confrontation, telling investigators that Justin had struck him with a chair before shooting him.
Christopher was transported by medical helicopter to Charleston General Hospital for treatment.
The extent of his injuries and his current condition were not provided in the complaint.
