Caleb James Marcum, a 19-year-old White male from Red House, West Virginia, lost his life during a confrontation that erupted outside a Sheetz convenience store in Cross Lanes during the early morning hours of January 1, 2021. Although the death is sometimes associated with Charleston because the investigation and court proceedings were handled in Kanawha County, the shooting occurred in the store’s parking lot in Cross Lanes.
What began as a personal dispute in the first hours of the new year quickly drew several other people to the scene and ended with gunfire, leaving Marcum dead and another man seriously wounded.
Investigators said the trouble began with an ongoing disagreement involving David Tylar Rogers of Charleston and Brent Jenkins of Scott Depot. Authorities described the conflict as a dispute over a woman. According to allegations contained in a criminal complaint, Jenkins telephoned a friend and said that he believed he was about to be attacked. The friend’s mother then drove her sons, Marcum and another companion to the Sheetz parking lot to assist Jenkins. Their arrival brought more people into an already tense situation, and a physical altercation unfolded among members of the two groups.
During the confrontation, Rogers was accused of producing a handgun and firing several rounds in the crowded parking lot. Marcum was struck in the face and died at the scene. Jenkins was also shot and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Rogers reportedly suffered injuries during the altercation as well and initially received medical care before being taken into custody. Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said investigators believed Rogers was the only person involved who possessed and fired a gun.
Deputies arrested Rogers after his release from the hospital. He was booked into jail and charged with two counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm. Those charges accused him of repeatedly firing the weapon while other people were nearby, placing their lives in danger. Officials said at the time that the investigation remained active and that charges more directly connected to Marcum’s death could be considered after detectives completed their work and reviewed the physical evidence, witness accounts and circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The initial charges were not homicide counts, and available public reporting does not clearly document that Rogers was later charged with murder, manslaughter or another offense specifically alleging that he unlawfully caused Marcum’s death. The publicly available reports also do not provide a confirmed account of a later trial, homicide conviction or final sentence related to the killing. Rogers was nevertheless identified by investigators as the accused gunman, and no additional shooter or separate suspect was publicly named.
Beyond the violent circumstances of his death, Marcum was remembered as a young man who had strong ties to his family and community. Born on June 18, 2001, he graduated from Buffalo High School in 2019 and belonged to Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 926. He volunteered as a coach for youth wrestling and football, played guitar and enjoyed spending time with his relatives and friends. His death in the opening hours of 2021 transformed what should have been a new beginning into a lasting tragedy for those who knew him, while the available public record leaves uncertainty about whether the prosecution ever advanced beyond the two wanton-endangerment charges initially filed against Rogers.
