Ilene Blankenship, a 62‑year‑old white female, was found dead on the front porch of a residence on Twin Oaks Drive in Summersville, West Virginia, on the evening of April 27, 2019. She had been shot, and spent. 45‑caliber shell casings were scattered near her body. Beside her lay Douglas Hypes, also fatally wounded. The quiet rural setting offered no immediate clues beyond the violence that had unfolded, but investigators quickly began piecing together the events that led to the tragedy.
As troopers worked through the scene, a picture emerged of a domestic situation strained by a pending divorce. Their attention soon turned to Roger D. Blankenship Sr., Ilene’s husband, who had reportedly driven to Hypes’ home earlier that day. According to police, he shot both Ilene and Hypes before fleeing.
When officers later located him at his residence off Route 39 near Swiss, they found him suffering from a self‑inflicted gunshot wound to the face, with a loaded firearm within reach. Despite his injuries, he communicated nonverbally with troopers, indicating that he had shot his wife and Hypes. He was transported for medical treatment and subsequently held at the Central Regional Jail.
Roger Blankenship was charged on April 28, 2019, with two counts of first‑degree murder. The case moved through the courts over the following year, ultimately resulting in his conviction. In September 2020, prosecutors announced that he had been sentenced to life without mercy for the killings. No other suspects were ever identified, and investigators found no evidence suggesting anyone else was involved. The story closed with the courts affirming what the investigation had revealed from the beginning: the deaths of Ilene Blankenship and Douglas Hypes were the result of a deliberate act carried out by Roger Blankenship alone.
