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Man found dead from 3 gunshots in Grafton home, another charged

GRAFTON, W.Va. — A man has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting another man three times at a residence in Taylor County.

Troopers with the Taylor County detachment of the West Virginia State Police Wednesday responded to a shooting call at Thomas Farm Road in Taylor County, according to the criminal complaint.

Burel Mingus

While on the scene, troopers observed one deceased male subject, identified as John Stewart, inside of a trailer on the residence, troopers said.

Upon speaking with the trailer’s owner, troopers learned that Burel Mingus, 49, of Thornton, “had come into [the] trailer to watch a movie but had become upset over something [the trailer’s owner] said,” and Mingus observed the victim “take a swing” at the trailer’s owner, according to the complaint.

Mingus then “walked next door and retrieved [a] .38 caliber revolver,” at which point Mingus went back into the trailer and told the victim to leave; Mingus told deputies that “the victim stood up to try to take a swing at [the trailer’s owner] again,” troopers said.

At that time, Mingus “shot the victim in the back”; Mingus said that “the victim was still trying to swing at the [the trailer’s owner] so he shot hit again, causing [the victim] to fall to the floor,” according to the complaint.

Mingus then told troopers that “the victim was attempting to get up off of the floor, making verbal threats,” so Mingus “shot him in the head, killing him,” troopers said.

While speaking with troopers, Mingus “advised he is a convicted felon and knows he shouldn’t have the gun,”; upon a check of Mingus’ criminal history showed he had been convicted of unlawful wounding in 2004, according to a complaint.

Mingus has been charged with second-degree murder. He is being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail.