On a tragic Friday afternoon, September 14, 2018, the life of Harry Joseph Simpkins, a 42-year-old White male from Switzer, West Virginia, was abruptly cut short. The incident unfolded around 4 p.m. in the Rossmore area of Logan County, at a residence on Shawnee Circle. Simpkins, known to his friends and family as "Joe" or "Dog," was fatally shot.
The investigation into the shooting led to the swift arrest of Layton Seth Cline, a 46-year-old man from Baisden. West Virginia State Police took Cline into custody and charged him with the murder of Simpkins. Following his arrest, Cline was held at the Southwestern Regional Jail.
Authorities have indicated that the shooting was domestic in nature, suggesting a personal connection between the victim and the alleged perpetrator, though specific details of their relationship have not been publicly disclosed.
This violent act was a separate incident from another shooting that occurred in Logan County on the same evening, which was investigated by the Logan County Sheriff's Office. In the case of Harry Simpkins' death, an arrest was made, bringing a suspect before the justice system. The community was left to mourn the loss of Simpkins, who was remembered as a loving son, husband, and father, as well as an avid outdoorsman with a passion for riding his Harley Davidson.
