On November 26th, 2022, Trooper J.D. Richards was notified of a situation at 127 Stinson Road in Calhoun County, where individuals had been staying at a house without any permission given. They were effectively squatting in the residence where according to Trooper Richards complaint, they they had stolen an entire outbuilding off of the property.
Trooper Richards called the complainant, Crystal Thompson, and spoke with her about the issue in detail where she informed him that she was keeping an eye on the property since the main resident, Hope Webber, was admitted to a nursing home in Roane County. Thompson stated that Webber had not given any permission and could not give permission due to her having Alzheimer’s. This information was verified by Alicia Ann Hombeck, the daughter of Hope Webber who lives in Ohio. She informed Trooper Richards that nobody had contacted her or her mother, since she is notified by the nursing home whenever anybody contacts her mother, in relation to receiving permission to stay on the property and they had not given any permission for anyone to stay at the residence. She further stated that that anyone staying at the property was not allowed to be there and probably took advantage of her mother being in a nursing home.
On November 26th, 2022 at approximately 4 p.m. Trooper J.D. Richards and DNR Officer J.N. Holcomb responded to the residence mentioned above and made contact with 31 year old Michael Lee Skiles, who was staying at the residence. Trooper Richards had dealt with the accused on two prior occasions at the residence where he had stated to this Trooper that it was his ex-girlfriend’s mother’s house and that she had given permission for him to stay at the residence. When asked about the validity of this by authorities no evidence to back up his statements or authority to be at the residence was ever supplied citing that it “Was a verbal agreement”. With the permission of the victim’s family, Trooper Richards entered the residence and searched the property. A white powdery substance in baggies was found on Michael Skiles that was believed to be Methamphetamine and a loaded needle which Trooper Richards also believed to be loaded with methamphetamine. While searching the residence Trooper Richards noticed that one of the outbuildings that had previously been there during prior interactions was no longer on the property and multiple things in the residence had went missing since the accused started staying at the residence.
Skiles was taken into custody on charges of Burglary, possession of a controlled substance, Lying to a DPS employee and transported him back to the WVSP Detachment for processing. He is currently being held in the WV Central Regional Jail on $70,000 bond.
