A quiet West Virginia neighborhood was shaken by a disturbing discovery after a neighbor’s request for a welfare check led authorities to find a woman dead on the front porch of a home — with a toddler still inside the residence.
According to reports highlighted by Law&Crime and local news outlets, deputies with the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home on Triton Lane near Delbarton around 10 a.m. Friday. A concerned neighbor had asked police to check on the occupants after noticing something unusual.
When deputies arrived, they reportedly found the body of a woman lying on the porch, covered by a blanket. Authorities later identified the victim as Christina Hunt. Officials say she had been shot while entering the residence.
Investigators allege the suspect, 35-year-old Leroy Hunt, was inside the home when deputies arrived. Court records show he has been charged with first-degree murder as well as child neglect with risk of injury.
Officials say the couple’s 2-year-old child was also inside the home during the incident, raising additional concerns about the child’s safety. Fortunately, authorities confirmed the toddler was not physically harmed.
After deputies discovered the victim, the situation escalated into a tense standoff between law enforcement and the suspect. According to authorities, the confrontation lasted for a period of time before Hunt eventually surrendered to deputies. He was taken into custody and transported to the Southwestern Regional Jail and Correctional Facility.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say an autopsy will be conducted by the West Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the exact cause of death and gather further evidence.
The tragic discovery has left the small rural community stunned. Welfare checks — typically requested when neighbors fear something may be wrong — occasionally uncover emergencies, but cases involving violent crime are rare.
Authorities have not released further details about what may have led to the alleged shooting or the circumstances leading up to the incident.
For now, investigators continue to piece together what happened inside the Triton Lane home that morning, while the community grapples with the shock of a tragedy uncovered in such an unexpected way.
