CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County man is scheduled to be sentenced in December after pleading guilty to first degree murder in the shooting death of a former neighbor.
(WVRJA)
Vestal Harper, 77, faces life in prison after admitting that he shot and killed Nancy Belcher, 72, in August 2022. Harper shot Belcher in the front door of her home on Lower Donnally Road in Kanawha City.
Prosecutors told Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey at last week’s plea hearing that a video showed Harper having a brief conversation with Belcher, who had been his neighbor at one time, and then taking out a gun and shooting Belcher four times. The evidence showed after Belcher fell, Harper stepped over her and fired a fifth shot.
The evidence also showed Harper had purchased a gun a short time before the shooting, prosecutors said.
Harper hasn’t said anything about a possible motive.
Harper faces life in prison at his Dec. 14 sentencing. The prosecutor’s office has agreed to stand silent at sentencing as part of the plea agreement.
Belcher’s family will be given an opportunity to address the court during the sentencing hearing.
Harper pleaded guilty to his pre-trial hearing. His trial was scheduled to begin on Monday.