In December 2020, the community of Elkview, West Virginia, was shaken by a violent crime that claimed the lives of four family members. Among them was Risa Mae Saunders, a 39-year-old White woman, who was killed on December 13, 2020. Her life was taken along with that of her husband, Daniel Dale Long, 37, and two young boys, Gage Xavier Ripley, 12, and Jameson Aries Long, 3.
The four victims were discovered inside a home, all having died as a result of gun violence. The discovery prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by law enforcement. News of the killings sent ripples of shock and grief through the close-knit community as residents tried to process the loss of an entire family.
Friends and family remembered Risa as a kind-hearted individual and a loving mother, making the violent circumstances of her death all the more difficult for those who knew her to comprehend.
In the wake of the killings, authorities moved swiftly.
A juvenile was taken into custody and charged with four counts of murder. As the investigation progressed, a second teenager was also arrested in connection with the deaths. The involvement of young suspects added another layer of tragedy to the case.
One of the teenagers, Gavin Smith, was subsequently tried and convicted on murder charges for the four deaths. However, in a major development, the West Virginia Supreme Court later overturned Smith’s convictions.
Following the state Supreme Court's decision, a new trial was ordered for Gavin Smith, and a date was set for the proceedings to begin. The case remains in active litigation.
