Second suspect in Feb. 12 shooting arrested
PARKERSBURG — A Wood County resident accused of shooting another man during an altercation over the alleged sale of fake methamphetamine two weeks ago is in jail awaiting a bond hearing.
Jody Lee Buskirk, 47, of 6 Tonya Lane, Parkersburg, was arrested Thursday at his residence, 11 days after he allegedly shot Steven Mandrell during a second transaction “for the purpose of robbing him (Mandrell) in retaliation for being sold a counterfeit substance,” according to records in Wood County Magistrate Court. He is charged with malicious wounding and first-degree robbery and is in custody at the North Central Regional Jail.
Bond was set at $150,000 for the wounding charge, but bond for the robbery count must be set in Wood County Circuit Court.
Police learned of the incident early Feb. 12 when Mandrell was dropped off at the Camden Clark Medical Center Emergency Department with a gunshot wound to his arm/shoulder area.
According to court documents, Mandrell refused to name the individual who shot him but told investigators that Mitchell Allan Edwards, 34, of 4 Tonya Ave., Parkersburg, was in the black Pontiac Grand Prix that picked him up that morning. He told police all three men in the car were armed.
Court documents say investigators from the Parkersburg Police and Wood County Sheriff’s departments found the car in question parked between Edwards’ and Buskirk’s residences. Edwards’ is within city limits; Buskirk’s is not.
Edwards was questioned at the Parkersburg Police Department where he said he, Buskirk and the third man in the car were all “aware of what they were going to do” regarding Mandrell. According to Edwards’ account of the event in the documents, Buskirk began pistol-whipping Mandrell and shot him while both men were outside the car.
Investigators searched Edwards’ and Buskirk’s residences and recovered multiple firearms, two of which had been reported stolen, court documents say. One of those was used in the incident, records say.
Edwards, who was out on bond after being charged with possession with intent to deliver meth, was arrested on charges of malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and released on a $200,000 bond.
Further investigation led police to the possible location of another firearm in Buskirk’s house, so another search warrant was requested. That warrant was executed Thursday, and Buskirk was arrested without incident, according to Parkersburg Police Chief Joe Martin.