MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — It’s been four years since a hit and run accident in Berkeley County claimed the life of Mike Kilmer, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s department is still looking to resolve the case, according to Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan Harmon.
“I don’t believe in cold cases as much as I believe they’re just old cases,” Harmon says. “Everything’s solvable.”
The 32-year-old from Martinsburg was killed September 4th of 2018 after reportedly being struck by a truck while he was riding his motorcycle at the intersection of Warm Springs Avenue and Edwin Miller Boulevard.
The sheriff’s department has now set its sites on a suspect vehicle, which they believe to be a Ford F-150 two-tone paint scheme truck with blue and gray. They’ve released a picture of a similar vehicle on their social media. The vehicle could have been modified in the ensuing years, but detectives believe at the time, the four-door truck had a diamond plate toolbox in the bed and a chrome push front bumper guard.
Harmon says with new technology comes new opportunities.
“As we see technology shift, with the doorbell/Ring cameras and different technologies out there, you’d be surprised at how we can put a footprint together in terms of following debris, fluids, different things like that on hit and runs.”
The Kilmer case has given them insight into new tech and new partnerships to help them track down a suspect.
“For this instance, Mike Kilmer has actually allowed my department to dive deep into new technologies,” Harmon says. “(It’s) made us aware of new technologies and additional collaborations with intelligence centers, things we had no idea existed,” said Harmon.
Earlier this year, they released a sketch they believe reflects the appearance of the suspect in the incident.
Harmon says it’s been important to keep a good working relationship with the victim’s family members.
“The Kilmer family has been awesome to deal with,” according to the sheriff. “They’ve accepted certain things, but they’ve also accepted the fact that we’re in this together. We’re not going to let this go, whether it’s now, two days from now, two months from now, two years from now, we’re still on it.”
There is a reward for information leading to an arrest. Contact Cpl. Funk with any information at 304-267-7000.
Kilmer left behind a daughter, according to his obituary.