The Inter-Mountain photo by Tim MacVean Derrick William Adamson expresses his reaction to the verdict after his conviction for first-degree murder in Randolph County Circuit Court Friday afternoon. He is escorted by Randolph County Deputies E.B. Carr, left, and B.W. Cogar.

The Inter-Mountain photo by Tim MacVean
Derrick William Adamson expresses his reaction to the verdict after his conviction for first-degree murder in Randolph County Circuit Court Friday afternoon. He is escorted by Randolph County Deputies E.B. Carr, left, and B.W. Cogar.

ELKINS — After being convicted of first-degree murder Friday afternoon, a Randolph County man is looking at spending the rest of his life behind bars.

After just 40 minutes of deliberation, a 12-person jury found Derrick William Adamson, 38, of Elkins, guilty of one felony count of first-degree murder, one felony count of grand larceny and one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle. The jury found him not guilty of one misdemeanor count of receiving or transferring stolen goods.

Additionally, the jury recommended that the first-degree murder charge be without mercy, meaning Adamson will not be eligible for parole.

During closing arguments, Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Parker said Adamson showed premeditation — which is required for a first-degree murder charge — because of several other incidents he was involved in prior to slaying 22-year-old Donovan Nicholson near the Elkins Depot Welcome Center in the early morning hours of April 21, 2015.

“On April 20, 2015, the defendant, Derrick Adamson, decided he was going to murder somebody long before he ever met Donovan Nicholson, long before he took that Raven Arms Model P-25 pistol and shot Donovan in the head, close range, by the railroad yard in the middle of Elkins in the early morning hours of April 21, 2015,” Parker said in his closing argument.

Richard Ferrese testified Thursday that he was walking home that same night, past the Elkins Depot Welcome Center, from Davis & Elkins College, where he worked and was a student, when Adamson began following him and flagged him down. The two became engaged in a conversation while walking down Davis Avenue and Adamson was asking him “strange questions” regarding where he was coming from and where he lived.

He said Adamson told him that he believed the story he had told him about coming from D&E or he would have “shot him by now.” After that, Ferrese said Adamson told him to just “walk away” which he did, and Adamson approached a man, later identified as Timothy Summerfield, in the parking lot of Mountaineer Mart.

Summerfield testified that he and Adamson engaged in “casual conversation” in the parking lot before Adamson pulled the pistol out and fired it in his direction.

Adamson’s defense counsel, Brent Easton, said that he was merely a “troubled, delusional” man who was acting strangely — mainly due to the use of controlled substances — but that there was no motive for the killing.

“What (the evidence) shows is that we had a troubled, delusional man, enhanced by drugs and alcohol, walking around town but, more importantly, absolutely nothing is presented to this jury with respect to what actually occurred between Mr. Adamson and Mr. Nicholson. Not just before the act, not just after it. We don’t know. There is a void of information there,” Easton said.

Easton added the evidence put forward by the state showed no motive for Adamson to take the life of Nicholson, so he believes the only possible crime Adamson could be guilty of is voluntary manslaughter.

“There is no known motive for that shooting whatsoever,” he said.

Also on Thursday, the defense presented their case, which was testimony from Charleston psychologist Dr. Timothy Saar, who evaluated Adamson and said he believed him to be “unlikely” to have been able to premeditate his actions the night of the shooting after he admitted to abusing alcohol and methamphetamine the night of the incident.

During rebuttal testimony by the prosecution, Parker called Charleston psychologist Dr. David Clayman, who said he believed Adamson’s actions that night, prior to the incident, showed he was fully capable of premeditating the killing and forming an intent to kill.

A post-trial motion hearing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 28.

Parker represented the state while Adamson appeared with Easton and James E. Hawkins Jr. as defense counsel. Wilmoth presided.

After the trial, in an e-mail to The Inter-Mountain, Parker said he was pleased with the outcome.

“Obviously, the state is satisfied with the jury’s verdict and hopes that it can bring Mr. Nicholson’s family some semblance of closure. This was a senseless, tragic murder that took the life of a 22-year-old young man and I think the evidence clearly warranted the jury recommending no mercy,” Parker wrote. “I want to thank Cpl. G.L. Brown and the Elkins Police Department for an outstanding investigation. Additionally, the assistance of the West Virginia State Police and, in particular, the efforts of Senior Trooper E.E. Bostic were instrumental in the case.”

Also in an e-mail to The Inter-Mountain, Easton said the defense team is looking into avenues to appeal the verdict.

“Certainly we are disappointed in the verdict and the brief period in which it was rendered because the issues were really not that cut and dried; however, there are several grounds for appeal that will be pursued,” Easton wrote.

Adamson is connected to a number of incidents in downtown Elkins that began the evening of April 20, 2015, and continued into the next morning.

After a report of gunshots being fired, law enforcement officials responded to a possible wanton endangerment call shortly before midnight on April 20, 2015, at the Mountaineer Mart on Davis Avenue. There, they found Adamson, who fit witness descriptions. Adamson was searched, and while no gun was found, police did find him to be in possession of .25-caliber handgun rounds. However, no arrest was made.

According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Brown and Cpl. M.J. Sigley spoke with Adamson “near the railroad depot,” but did not find a firearm on his person. They did discover Adamson to be in possession of “.25 ACP-caliber handgun rounds.” Adamson was allowed to leave.

Later Brown reviewed store surveillance footage that showed Adamson talking to Summerfield, according to the complaint. While the two were talking the tape allegedly showed Adamson pull out a “silver in color object” from his jacket and point it in Summerfield’s face. Summerfield then “dodges out of the way in an attempt to avoid something.”

Summerfield told police Adamson came up to him and began talking to him when he “pulled a gun shot went off and his ear stated to ring, then Adamson stated ‘it’s jammed,’ and kept repeating it.”

According to the complaint, Summerfield said Adamson “shook his hand stating ‘today wasn’t your day,’ and then walked away.”

About 90 minutes later, police responded to Go-Mart on Railroad Avenue after receiving a report of a stolen gold Ford 500. Reports indicate Adamson was identified on surveillance footage as the individual who took the vehicle. Minutes later, a BOLO (be on lookout for) alert was issued for the vehicle.

Later, during a foot patrol, Brown discovered Nicholson’s body at 4 a.m. Adamson was apprehended by West Virginia State Police in Webster County.

During a preliminary hearing on April 29, 2015, in Randolph County Magistrate Court, Adamson showed no emotion as his recorded confession was played. Also during the hearing, testimony was given by two investigating officers along with Summerfield.

On the recording, played in open court, Adamson can be heard telling Bostic he believed his 12-year-old daughter, who was residing with a couple in Webster County, was missing because he could not reach her via telephone.