West Virginia Man Convicted Of Voluntary Manslaughter After Fatally Shooting Man With Hunting Bow

LEWISBURG, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia man has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting of a man with a hunting bow.

WVVA-TV reports Greenbrier County jurors found 25-year-old Carl Wayne Rich of Charmco guilty Friday in the June 2018 death of 29-year-old Jeffery Booth.

Rich testified he threatened Booth with the bow but did not intentionally shoot him. Rich says Booth had startled him, and the bow accidentally fired.

According to a criminal complaint, Rich believed Booth had taken his cell phone. A witness testified at the trial that the phone was later found at the home of someone else.

Rich initially was charged with first-degree murder.

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Information from: WVVA-TV, http://www.wvva.com

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