MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Charges against a 20-year-old man accused of shooting his friend in the head have been upgraded to murder.
Elias Michael Jenkins of Martinsburg has been charged with one count each of First and Second Degree murder in the shooting death of a 19-year-old man characterized as Jenkin’s friend.
The criminal complaint obtained by the Panhandle News Network identifies the victim as 19-year-old Landis Mitchell Govan.
Investigators believe the two were passengers in a vehicle traveling on Harlan Springs Road near Hedgesville June 17th when the victim began bickering with his girlfriend and Jenkins “didn’t like what was being said,” confronted Govan and then shot him in the head.
Govan was transported to Berkeley Medical Center and at that point Jenkins was charged with attempted murder. This week, though the charges were upgraded to felony murder and court records indicate Jenkins entered a not guilty plea on June 24th.
Jenkins is being held without bond at the Eastern Regional Jail.
A preliminary hearing is set for June 30th in front of Magistrate Sandy Hamilton.
