On November 21, 2022, the life of 37-year-old Ashtin Owens, a White male from Scarbro, West Virginia, was tragically cut short. In a mobile home park in the Glen Jean area, events unfolded that would lead to a fatal confrontation. Earlier that day, an argument had taken place between Owens and the grandmother of a young man named Kayce R. Simms. This dispute, which found its way onto social media via a Facebook post by the grandmother, set in motion a devastating chain of events.
Upon
learning of the argument, 20-year-old Kayce R. Simms of Mount Hope became incensed by what he perceived as disrespect towards his grandmother. He acquired a firearm and made his way to Owens's residence at the Mountain Air Mobile Home Park. Once inside, a brief argument between Simms and Owens escalated with deadly speed. Simms shot Owens twice before fleeing the scene. Despite being airlifted to a trauma center in Charleston, Ashtin Owens succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed towards Simms, thanks to the presence of witnesses inside the home at the time of the incident who were able to identify him as the shooter. Fayette County Sheriff's Department arrested Simms on Friday, December 2, 2022, and charged him with first-degree murder. In March 2024, a jury found Kayce R. Simms guilty of first-degree murder and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The jury recommended mercy, making him eligible for parole consideration after serving a minimum of 18 years.
