Kennedy

PHILIPPI – A Grafton County man accused of fatally stabbing a woman in 2023 entered a plea agreement on a first-degree murder charge and was sentenced to life in prison with mercy on July 11.

Brian Edward Kennedy, 46, appeared in Barbour County Circuit Court and entered a guilty plea to one count of murder in the first degree in the death of Megan Shaw, 45, in 2023.

Kennedy, according to a press release from the Barbour County Prosecutor’s Office, admitted to stabbing Shaw at an apartment in Dayton Park in Philippi on Sept. 6, 2023.

“After many statements from the victim’s family were made, the Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Lynn Phillips said the state would ask for Mr. Kennedy to be sentenced to life in prison with a possibility of parole for first-degree murder, pursuant to the plea agreement,” the Barbour County Prosecutor’s office press release states. 

Barbour County Circuit Court Judge Shawn Nines sentenced Kennedy to life in prison with mercy. Kennedy will be eligible for parole after serving at least 15 years in prison.

Kennedy was indicted for murder in February 2024.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Barbour County Magistrate Court, on Sept. 6, 2023, Philippi Police Department Lt. D.A. Cale and other officers responded to Dayton Park Road in response to a reported stabbing.

Cale arrived on scene and knocked on the door to the apartment and a male subject responded, “come in.” Cale attempted to open the door and it was locked, the complaint states.

Cale heard a male become irate and begin yelling and the officer forced entry into the door and saw Kennedy, according to the complaint. Cale confronted Kennedy and asked what was going on and who was stabbed. Cale asked Kennedy if he did it and Kennedy responded, “Yeah.”

According to the complaint, Kennedy was given verbal commands to exit the residence and did not initially comply, but came out after several more verbal commands. Kennedy was detained by Philippi Police Chief S. A. Miller, Patrolman Z. Hinchman and Natural Resources Police Officer B. Rumney.

Cale entered the apartment and into the bathroom in an attempt to help Shaw. He observed Shaw lying on her back on the bathroom floor with blood on her chest, the complaint states. She was not breathing and did not have a pulse. She was pronounced dead by the state medical examiner.

The crime scene was then processed by the West Virginia State Police Crime Scene Response Unit.

Miller identified Shaw as the victim on Sept. 8, 2023, stating that Shaw and Kennedy were in the area because they were visiting or staying with Kennedy’s father.