In the quiet community of Elkview, West Virginia, a horrific scene unfolded on December 13, 2020, forever altering the lives of a local family. On that Sunday morning, a concerned relative entered a home on Cemetery Hill Drive to check on the family after not hearing from them for a couple of days. Inside, a grim discovery was made; four members of the same family were found deceased.
Among the victims was 12-year-old Gage Xavier Ripley, a White/Caucasian male.
Also found were his mother, Risa Mae Saunders, 39, his stepfather, Daniel Dale Long, 37, and his younger brother, Jameson Aries Long, who was only 3 years old. The cause of their deaths was determined to be gunshot wounds. The shocking nature of the violent crime sent ripples of fear and disbelief through the close-knit community.
Investigators quickly identified a suspect, who was not a stranger to the family, but rather Gage's 16-year-old older brother, Gavin Smith. Smith was located away from the crime scene and was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with four counts of murder. Another teenager, 17-year-old Rebecca Lynn Walker, who was in a relationship with Smith at the time, was also arrested in connection with the killings.
As the investigation progressed, a disturbing motive began to emerge. Smith reportedly told police that he felt overwhelmed by being homeschooled and that his parents kept padlocks on the refrigerator and doors within the home. Walker, his girlfriend, was on a video call with Smith during the shootings and allegedly told him to "hurry up and kill" his family.
Gavin Smith was ultimately tried as an adult and convicted on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder. Rebecca Lynn Walker entered a plea agreement and was sentenced to ten years in prison for her role as an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. The tragic loss of Gage Ripley, his younger brother, and his parents at the hands of a family member left a lasting scar on the Elkview community.
