Marian Janyne Chapman, a 27-year-old resident of South Charleston, West Virginia, was fatally shot on January 15, 2019. The incident occurred on the porch of a house in Rand, a community in Kanawha County, where Chapman was visiting her former boyfriend, Gerard Maxwell.
Gerard Maxwell, 35, of Rand, was identified as the suspect in Chapman's murder. Maxwell opted for a bench trial instead of a jury trial, which was presided over by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard. During the trial, Maxwell claimed that he shot Chapman in self-defense, alleging that she had fired two shots at him before he retaliated. However, the prosecution presented evidence that suggested an obstruction had prevented Chapman's gun from being fired, contradicting Maxwell's self-defense claim.
Judge Ballard heard the testimony in December 2021 and delivered the verdict on January 6, 2022.
The judge found Maxwell guilty of first-degree murder, being a prohibited person with a firearm, and domestic battery. The court's findings were detailed in an 85-page court order, which stated that Maxwell had willfully and intentionally shot Chapman five times with the intent to kill her.
Maxwell was captured in Atlanta in March 2019, following the incident. He has a history of violence, including a previous manslaughter conviction. His lawyer, Dan Holstein, argued that Chapman had shot Maxwell twice before someone else shot her, but this argument was not accepted by the court. Holstein indicated that he would appeal the verdict.
The sentencing hearing for Maxwell was set for March 15, 2022, where the judge would determine whether Maxwell should be granted mercy and the possibility of parole on the murder charge. Chapman's family expressed relief and satisfaction with the verdict, with her sister, Karma Chapman, stating that 'justice is served'.
