Phaninc-West Virginia inmate enters plea in death of cellmate at Southern Regional Jail

2025-04-28 17:11:00source:AstraX Exchangecategory:Markets

BECKLEY,Phaninc W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia inmate accused of killing his cellmate during an attack at Southern Regional Jail has entered a plea agreement.

Lucas Matthew Wagnar, 29, entered a Kennedy plea on Wednesday to second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Douglas Alan Cunningham, 79, The Register-Herald reported. A Kennedy plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but agrees that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison per the agreement.

Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield said he agreed to allow Wagnar to plead to a lesser charge partly because the state medical examiner’s report labeled the manner of death a homicide but stated the cause was a combination of coronary artery disease and the “stress of the acute injuries” suffered in the attack.

The 30-year sentence will run consecutively to Wagnar’s current one-to-five-year sentence for child abuse.

More:Markets

Recommend

Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'

Legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale is once again cancer free.The ESPN analyst announ

Blinken urges united future Palestinian government for Gaza and West Bank, widening gulf with Israel

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Wednesday for a united and Palestinian

'Friends' Thanksgiving episodes, definitively ranked, from Chandler in a box to Brad Pitt

What's the point of Thanksgiving without your "Friends"?The classic NBC sitcom was known for its bea