In the small community of Montgomery, West Virginia, the life of Clark William Lee Hartwell, a 33-year-old White male, was tragically cut short on the night of October 14, 2016. Hartwell, a journeyman electrician, was fatally shot in an incident that led to the swift apprehension of a suspect.
On that Friday evening, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the sound of a gunshot pierced the night air. The Montgomery Police Chief, who was on patrol in the area at the time, heard the shot.
Moments later, he witnessed a man running toward his police cruiser, armed with a gun. The officer promptly took the individual into custody without incident. The man was identified as 36-year-old James Whitlock of Powellton.
The victim of the shooting was identified as Clark Hartwell. Further investigation into the events that transpired that night has been limited in publicly available reports. Details regarding a motive for the shooting, the specifics of the charge laid against James Whitlock, and the ultimate disposition of his case through the court system are not readily available in online sources.
Clark Hartwell was a graduate of Valley High School and the Fayette Vocational Technology Institute. He was a father to two sons and was awaiting the birth of a daughter. His death left a void in the lives of his children, his companion, and his extended family.
