Butler murder plea expected next week, Zell theft trial set

The Morgan County man accused of murdering his adopted son with a handgun last June 2011 is expected to enter a plea in the case before Circuit Judge Gina Groh on Monday, March 19.

William Allan Butler, 73, of Fulton Road, Hedgesville, was indicted by a Morgan County Grand Jury on murder charges last September.

He is accused of shooting his 13-year-old adopted son, Andrew Arthur Butler, when the two went outside to fire handguns on Saturday evening, June 18.

At the time, Butler told police that he was standing five feet in front of his son, showing him where to fire the gun.

He said he turned his back, heard a shot that he believed was directed at him, spun around and fired at his son, striking him in the right eye, according to the original criminal complaint filed by Deputy Sheriff C. H. Cobern.

The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Zell trial for thefts
James T. Zell, Jr., 24, of Tri Lake Park was arraigned on charges of breaking and entering and petit larceny of tools. Zell pled not guilty to the charges and requested a speedy trial during a court hearing on Monday, March 5. His jury trial on the charges is scheduled for March 26.

Zell remains in the Eastern Regional Jail on $50,000 bond.

He is accused of murdering his girlfriend in December 2011, and taking her to a remote cabin in Hampshire County where police were able to recover her body.

Zell has not yet been indicted by the Grand Jury on that charge.

Zell was recently extradited back to Morgan County from Pennsylvania, where he had been jailed on traffic charges.