Matthew Cochran, a 27‑year‑old white male from Slab Fork, West Virginia, died on December 15, 2019, after an argument inside the family home turned violent. That night, deputies were called to the 400 block of Acord Mountain Road, where they found Matthew fatally wounded. The confrontation between Matthew and his father, Ronnie Eric Cochran, had escalated to gunfire, ending Matthew’s life in the place where he lived and worked hard to support his young daughter.
In the aftermath, investigators quickly identified Ronnie as the shooter. He was arrested and charged with first‑degree murder and two counts of wanton endangerment.
According to witness accounts, including Matthew’s girlfriend, Rachel McGinnis, the shooting unfolded in front of her and their child, and she later stated that Ronnie even fired in her direction during the incident. Ronnie was initially held without bond at Southern Regional Jail, but nearly a year later he was released to strict home confinement, a decision that left Matthew’s loved ones fearful and frustrated as they awaited the next steps in the legal process.
