In the small community of Julian in Boone County, West Virginia, the life of 32-year-old Cody Wayne Miller of Danville was cut short on the night of Friday, January 3, 2020. Initially, reports suggested a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle when Miller was found lying alongside U.S. Route 119. However, upon investigation, it was determined that he had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the White male's death quickly shifted from a traffic accident to a homicide. State Police identified a suspect, 26-year-old Shane Justice of Julian, who was apprehended later that same night following a high-speed chase. Investigators believe that Miller and Justice were acquainted and had spent time together earlier in the day.
The shooting is thought to have occurred either while Miller was standing next to Justice's vehicle or while he was inside it.
Following his arrest, Shane Justice was charged with murder, wanton endangerment, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was subsequently jailed without bond. Cody Wayne Miller, a laid-off coal miner, was remembered as a fun-loving man who always tried to make people smile. His obituary described him as a "movie man, music man and documentary man" who found joy at home with his wife and their two sons.
