In the early morning hours of October 9, 2023, the life of Keri Michelle Billings, a 32-year-old White / Caucasian female, was tragically cut short in Bluefield, West Virginia. Just before 5 a.m. on Stoney Ridge Road, Billings was shot and killed. The Mercer County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene and determined she had died from a single gunshot wound. The brutal act was witnessed by her two young daughters.
In a moment of incredible bravery, the children fled to call for help, with one of them having the presence of mind to record an argument that preceded the fatal shooting.
Keri, born on April 12, 1991, was remembered as a beautiful person both inside and out, with a smile that could light up any room. She grew up in McDowell County and graduated from the certified medical assistant program at Valley College. For the last four and a half years of her life, she was a dedicated employee at Derm One Dermatology Care. Friends and family described her as intelligent and sociable, with a great sense of humor. She was a mother to two daughters, Seyona Renee Waldron and Hartley Saige Billings, who had inherited her creative and wonderful attributes.
The investigation into Keri's death moved swiftly, leading to the arrest of a suspect on the very same day. Charles Lee Dawson, a 43-year-old man also from Bluefield, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Authorities stated that he used an AR-15 in the commission of the crime. Following his arrest, Dawson was arraigned and held at the Southern Regional Jail without bond as he awaited legal proceedings.
The case culminated in a trial where Dawson faced the consequences of his actions. Keri's courageous daughters testified during the proceedings, providing crucial evidence. In July 2025, a jury found Charles Lee Dawson guilty of murder and recommended that he be shown no mercy. A judge subsequently sentenced him to the maximum penalty: life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring that the man responsible for the violent death of Keri Billings would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
