McDowell (Dem) political leader’s death called homicide

[UpInArms]

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2005040640/

Fire investigators are continuing to investigate the killing of a longtime McDowell County political leader and doctor, saying E.K. Whitley’s death was a “definite homicide.”

Whitley, a Iaeger physician, was found dead inside his burned house around 10 a.m. March 15.

Investigators found a “pour pattern” inside the residence “which indicates an accelerant was poured on the floor and was lit,” said state Fire Marshal Sterling Lewis.

Fire marshals have questioned several people in the death, but no arrests have been made. “What we’re more trying to do is clear those individuals,” Lewis said, adding his agency still has “nothing solid” on who killed Whitley or why.

<snip>

Whitley was a well-known figure in McDowell County, where he served more than 20 years as county Democratic Executive Committee chairman. He also served time on the McDowell County Commission, the county’s school board and was elected to the state House of Delegates.

...more...

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. What is the early betting line...

On who did this? Has politics taken an ugly turn down there?

[davidinalameda]

5. politics is a bloodsport in southern West Virginia

McDowell County is famous for it's unique voter reach out program.

In the past, the dead have frequently voted

[dhinojosa]

2. Yikes....the killer must have had a chat or two with him beforehand.....nt

[Straight Shooter]

3. A physician? First thing you do is look for a disgrunted patient.

Maybe someone had a bad outcome, or something happened to someone they love and Dr. Whitley couldn't "save" them.

Next you look for a druggie connection. Perhaps the doctor refused to supply someone, or initially did and then stopped.

Then you look for a love triangle, an emotional matter that would trigger violence in someone unstable. Whatever the reason, I bet it's very personal, not politics.

[leftchick]

4. The Feds are looking into it....

I wonder what kind of Doctor he was?

~snip~

Lewis indicated someone might have wanted to kill Whitley, who was known as “Ebbie” or “Doc” by friends and associates, for cash he may have had in the residence, or drugs.

State investigators are not the only people looking into Whitley’s death. Federal authorities are also conducting an investigation, Lewis said. “What they’re looking for we don’t know,” he said.

Federal officials have questioned a number of people in McDowell County in recent weeks.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. You can eliminate this option..

unless it done in the commision of a theft.

"Next you look for a druggie connection. Perhaps the doctor refused to supply someone, or initially did and then stopped."

Nobody kills their dealer because they are out of product. They would just find another source.

I do agree that you start with personal connections, however, the personal and political often overlap.

[Ian David]

7. Did this doctor perform abortions?

Or was he at least pro-choice?

It wouldn't be the first time "pro-life" advocates have stopped a doctor's beating heart.

[Straight Shooter]

8. I don't know if I can eliminate it or not.

As I noted, perhasp the doctor refused to supply someone. I didn't mean to imply the doctor ran out of product, just that for one reason or another, the supply stopped (or maybe never began). Let's say it was an amphetamine type product. Withdrawal can cause people to become easily enraged.

OTOH, it may be a robbery gone bad. Someone breaks in, is confronted, there is a brief struggle, the doctor is murdered, the perpetrator tries to hide their tracks.

Whatever the reason, it's awful that this happened.

[bmbmd]

9. I have been threatened by druggies before.

[John Q. Citizen]

10. Do you know of any doctors who have been murdered because

they wouldn't write someone a script? Not to say it isn't possible, onlt that it doesn't seem that probable.

Plus the involvement of the Feds suggests something other than a robbery or revenge.