In the winter of 2018, the community of Fairmont, West Virginia, was shaken by the tragic death of Justin Michael Cassella, a 33-year-old White/Caucasian male. On December 26th, Fairmont police were dispatched to a residence on Dixie Avenue following a report of a deceased person. Inside, they discovered Cassella, who had sustained an apparent gunshot wound to his upper torso.
His body was subsequently sent to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Charleston for an autopsy to officially determine the cause of death.
The investigation into Cassella's death quickly progressed, leading to the identification of two suspects. Just two days after the discovery of Cassella's body, on December 28, 2018, the Fairmont Police Department's Detective Division arrested 34-year-old Richard Allen Moore II, a resident of Fairmont. He was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Cassella's death and was held at the North Central Regional Jail. At the time of Moore's arrest, a warrant was also issued for a second individual.
The second suspect, identified as 26-year-old William "Ed" "Pumpkin" Littleton, also of Fairmont, remained at large for a short period. However, on January 9, 2019, law enforcement received an anonymous tip regarding his whereabouts. A collaborative effort between the Fairmont Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff's Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service led to Littleton's arrest at a residence on the East Side of Fairmont. He was taken into custody without resistance and was also charged with first-degree murder. Following his arraignment, Littleton was transported to the North Central Regional Jail to await further court proceedings.
