In the quiet community of Summersville, West Virginia, the life of Douglas Phillip Hypes, a 62-year-old Caucasian male, came to a tragic end on Saturday, April 27, 2019. He was found at his home on Twin Oaks Drive, the victim of a fatal shooting. Hypes was not the only person to lose their life that day; he was discovered alongside his girlfriend, Irene Blankenship. Both had succumbed to gunshot wounds in what state police would later describe as a double murder.
The investigation into the deaths quickly pointed to a single suspect: Roger Blankenship, the estranged husband of Irene. According to police reports, the Blankenships were in the process of a divorce. It is alleged that Roger Blankenship went to Hypes' residence and shot both his estranged wife and Hypes on the front porch of the mobile home.
The incident was reported to authorities after family members heard gunshots.
Following the shootings, the alleged perpetrator, Roger Blankenship of Swiss, was found at his own home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his face. He survived the suicide attempt and was subsequently hospitalized. After being treated for his injuries, Blankenship was arrested and faced two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Douglas Hypes and Irene Blankenship. Authorities reported that when questioned, Blankenship acknowledged his involvement in the shootings.
