Misty Rose Williams, a 40-year-old woman, was found deceased in the parking lot of the Nitro Marketplace Walmart on the morning of Monday, April 13, 2026. An employee of the store, Williams had gone to her car for a break and when she failed to return, concerned coworkers went to check on her. They discovered her slumped over inside her vehicle.
Law enforcement was called to the scene and determined that Williams had died from an apparent gunshot wound.
The investigation into her death was a collaborative effort between the Nitro Police Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office. A review of the Walmart's surveillance footage quickly led investigators to identify a person of interest. The footage showed a man, later identified as 54-year-old Eric Dewayne Richmond of Charleston, inside the Walmart prior to the shooting. He was then seen on video approaching Williams' car during her break. The vehicle was observed moving in a violent manner and at one point collided with a parked car. The footage also showed Richmond getting in and out of both sides of the car several times before fleeing the scene.
Richmond, who shared children with Williams and was described as having an on-again, off-again relationship with her, was brought in for questioning. Based on the evidence gathered from the scene, surveillance footage, and witness interviews, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. During a search of Richmond's residence, a 9mm handgun was recovered. Court records revealed that Richmond had a history of domestic violence charges involving Williams, though those charges had been dismissed. He is currently being held without bail at the South Central Regional Jail.
