Joseph Tanner, a 69-year-old male from Summersville, West Virginia, was killed on Wednesday evening, September 11, 2024, at Beaver Lake Campground in Calvin, a quiet Nicholas County setting where campers and visitors would not have expected the night to end in a homicide investigation. Around 7:19 p.m., Nicholas County 911 received a call reporting that someone had been shot at the campground. When deputies and West Virginia State Police arrived, they found Tanner lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said the shooting followed a verbal argument between Tanner and Cliff Bryan Salisbury of Mount Nebo. According to reports from law enforcement, the confrontation escalated until a single shot was fired. Officers found Tanner with a gunshot wound to the head, and a hunting rifle was visible nearby in Salisbury's vehicle.
Witnesses also told authorities that Salisbury had been seen walking around the campground carrying a rifle before or around the time of the shooting.
Salisbury, who was 59 at the time, was taken into custody at the campground without incident. West Virginia State Police charged him with first-degree murder, and booking information listed the charge as murder in the first degree. He was transported to Central Regional Jail after his arrest. A preliminary hearing was set for 10 a.m. on September 19, 2024.
After the shooting, the West Virginia State Police Crime Scene Team processed the campground while the investigation remained active. Public reports identified Salisbury as the suspect and did not name any additional suspects. The available online reporting described the case as an ongoing murder investigation and did not provide a final motive, trial outcome, conviction, or sentencing information.
