West Virginia Supreme Court Orders New Trial for Man Convicted in 2020 Family Tragedy, Cites Jury Instruction Error
ELKWOOD, WV — A young West Virginia man convicted of killing his family members when he was a minor will face a new trial, following a Supreme Court of Appeals decision that vacated his original convictions. Gavin Smith, now 21, was previously found guilty in the 2020 murders of his mother, stepfather, and two younger brothers, an event that shook the community of Elkwood. The appeal court’s decision was prompted by a critical error in …