MARION COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – More than 20 years after 16-year-old Nicole Dawn Markley was found murdered in a Marion County creek, her family is still searching for answers — and wondering why the man once charged with killing her was never brought to trial.
On January 17, 2003, Nicole, a young mother from Four States, West Virginia, disappeared while walking from her home to her grandmother’s house. Two weeks later, a hunter made a grim discovery: Nicole’s body was found face down in Teverbaugh Creek.
An autopsy ruled her death a homicide by drowning and documented extensive bruising consistent with a violent assault.
Her mother, Sherry Quinn, remembers her daughter as “a good kid — loving, caring, kind to everyone.” Nicole’s life revolved around her 2-year-old son, Jeremiah, who was later raised by his grandparents.
By July 2003, investigators believed they had their suspect — 20-year-old William Hammond — and charged him with first-degree murder, alleging he drowned Nicole during an attempted sexual assault.
But just five months later, the case collapsed. Then–Marion County Prosecuting Attorney Susan Riffle dismissed all charges, saying the investigation needed “more work.”
The move stunned Nicole’s family — especially after reports surfaced that DNA recovered from Nicole’s body was a 99.9% match to Hammond.
Despite the reported DNA connection, Riffle dropped the case without prejudice, a legal decision that left the door open for future prosecution. Yet in the 22 years since, no one has ever been recharged.
The reasoning remains unclear. Officially, the case was said to require “further investigation.” But legal analysts have long suggested that any problems may have stemmed not from the DNA evidence itself — but from how it was collected, preserved, or presented in court.
Today, advances in forensic science could make it possible to retest evidence from the scene, even from trace amounts of biological material. Still, the case appears dormant.
For the Markley family, the lack of progress feels like abandonment. “She was only 16, and she deserves justice,” one relative said.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department continues to urge anyone with information about Nicole Markley’s death to come forward.
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