Rev. Michael Seth Marsh, a 26-year-old white male from Taylorsville, NC, tragically passed away on February 19, 2018. He was a beloved pastor at Russell Gap Baptist Church and was known for his passion for preaching and his love for his family and community. On the evening of February 19, 2018, Marsh was involved in a hunting accident that led to his untimely death. He was hunting coyotes using an electronic coyote call when another hunter, Ronald Mathew Dunn, mistook him for a coyote and shot him multiple times in the chest. Marsh was transported to Wake Forest Baptist Health – Wilkes Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The incident occurred on Edd Burgess Road Extension in Taylorsville, where Marsh was found suffering from several gunshot wounds. Dunn, a 31-year-old white male, told authorities that he heard coyotes screaming and believed they had trapped something in a tree. He fired two shots at what he thought was a coyote, only to realize he had shot Marsh. Dunn immediately rendered aid and called 911 for help.
Following the investigation, Dunn was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. He was placed under a $75,000 secure bond and had his first court appearance on February 26, 2018. The Alexander County Sheriff's Office, along with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, conducted the investigation into the shooting. The tragic incident left the community mourning the loss of a dedicated pastor, husband, and father.
