Photo | Michael Browning
Logan County Magistrate Dwight Williamson arraigns murder suspect Christopher Paul Dingess, 35, of Mount Gay, while arresting office Logan Police Sgt. Dave White keeps watch on Dingess at the Logan County Magistrate’s Court, Tuesday. Dingess is accused of beating Joel Holland to death last month.
Logan City Police have arrested a man wanted for murder.
On Tuesday, Sgt. White arrested Christopher Paul Dingess, 35, of Mount Gay, and charged him with the murder of Joel Holland, 45, of Stratton Street.
Holland was found unconscious and unresponsive on the street around 9 p.m. on March 27 following an altercation in his apartment, in which he had received severe head injuries.
The criminal complaint said Dingess “maliciously struck, beat and kick(ed)” Holland in the head.
Reports to The Banner said Holland made his way down the street, before collapsing on Charles Street.
White said Holland was transported by ambulance to Logan Regional Medical Center and then transferred on to Charleston Area Medical Center due to the severity of the head trauma he suffered.
Holland remained hospitalized at CAMC on life support until March 31, when he died around 5:30 p.m. that day, Sgt. White said.
White said the altercation appears to have been alcohol-related.
“We have suspects and have been conducting interviews,” White said.
White got the warrant on Tuesday afternoon and arrested Dingess just hours later.
Dingess was arraigned by Logan County Magistrate Dwight Williamson Tuesday afternoon. Williamson said Dingess will be appointed a defense attorney and will have a preliminary hearing within 10 days. He explained to Dingess that the penalty he faces for murder is life in prison.
Williamson told Dingess that only a judge can set a bond in a murder case.
Dingess told Williamson that he has been homeless and living under the Water Street Bridge. He told the magistrate that he had just started drinking his third beer of the day when White arrived and arrested him.
White said this is the first murder in the city of Logan this year.
To contact Staff Writer Michael Browning, call 304-752-6950, extension 309, or email him at mbrowning@loganbanner.com.
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