In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 23, 2023, a young man's life was tragically cut short in Fairmont, West Virginia. Clayton Vanlier Peck, a 22-year-old male from Frostburg, Maryland, was found deceased over an embankment at the Fairmont Hills Apartment Complex. The initial discovery launched an investigation by the Fairmont Police Department that would soon unravel a story of a drug deal turned violent.
Authorities determined that Peck had been fatally shot in what they described as a targeted attack, assuring the public that there was no broader danger.
The investigation revealed that Clayton Peck and an acquaintance, 18-year-old Leo Charles Ginty, also of Frostburg, had traveled to the apartment complex with the intention of selling a large quantity of marijuana. At approximately 2:50 a.m., as police were responding to the scene, they encountered a vehicle occupied by the two men from Maryland. Ginty was taken into custody, and the marijuana was recovered from the vehicle. Evidence found in the car and at the scene quickly led investigators to their primary suspect in the shooting.
Within a short time, detectives apprehended 18-year-old Zeighshawn Jarelle Meade in a home in Fairmont. Meade was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Clayton Peck. As the investigation progressed, two other individuals, Illes Williams and Jayden Cheriza, were also implicated in Peck's murder and were indicted in October of 2023. Leo Charles Ginty, who had accompanied Peck, faced charges of possession with intent to deliver.
The legal process for the accused has seen significant developments. Illes Williams was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder. In November 2024, Zeighshawn Meade, then 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder just as his trial was scheduled to begin. He now faces a life sentence, with the exact terms to be determined at a future hearing. The case against Jayden Cheriza is still pending, with sentencing to occur after the conclusion of Meade's and Williams' cases.
